A Love of Deception
by LilBrown
Summary: Bella, granddaughter of Italian Count Aro, must go through another one of his silly banquets. When she goes out the night before with Angela and meets Edward as Chloe, then meets him at a masquerade as Abelle, what will happen when he meets Bella?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Sire, please," Bella beseeched, on the verge of hysteria, "I understand that you want to have that frivolous and completely unnecessary Banquet of yours every five years to see your friends, but for the love of all that is Holy do not extend the 'festivities' length on my account!"

"Bella, my dear Bella," Bella's grandfather chuckled with the air of someone lightly scolding a very ignorant peasant, "I know you are well educated, but am afraid you know very little about the world."

Well there's a contradictory statement.

"How does your extending the Banquet from one ball to a weeklong event educate me, sire?" Bella asked.

"Do not pretend to be unaware of my real intention for the prolonged stay of our esteemed guests," Aro admonished.

"I know you want to find a suitor for me in that batch of worthless people…forgive me, sire," Bella corrected hastily. Aro's guests were, in the past two Banquets that Bella can remember, a bunch of pompous asses that were snobbish and without the least idea of compassion and concern for others. Their nonchalance for anyone's feelings but theirs was evident even to a five, ten, and fifteen year old (like Bella was in the past three Banquets). Now Bella was twenty and the horror was going to continue during the "most wonderful time of the year".

On the last Banquet, Angela, Bella's maidservant and best friend (not in that order), worked on the floral arrangements personally and tediously for hours on end. Even the strict head maid raised her heavy eyebrows in respect. They were simply amazing to Bella and were an obvious point of pride for Angela. The first woman to come in, Lady Denali as it was, led her four daughters in and the first thing she did was scoff at the flowers; saying that "Italians cannot fathom the art of flowers" in a quiet aside to her daughters. Many prudish women would sit Bella for all hours of the event to tell her how to be a "lady" and all of the men would look at Bella and treat her like the porcelain doll she should be.

Anyone who really knew Bella, or has taken one look at her for that matter, could see very clearly that she was no porcelain doll. The figures you generally see depicted have some care of style, pin up their hair extravagantly, powder their faces and rouge their cheeks and lips. While nobody could venture to say that Bella was comely or ugly, she wouldn't consider herself anything worth capturing on a painting or sculpture. She just couldn't care less for clothing and how her hair fell, so long as it was out of the way. If it were not for Angela's pleas and commands, she would probably frolic around in men's frocks and breaches.

"I know you are not the fondest of all of them," Aro started:_ any of them_ Bella thought bitterly, "But I assure you that I have hand-selected new guests; and I have one in particular I know you will love."

"What is his name?" She sighed, facing defeat. He clapped in glee and declared, "He is a fine boy and is named Demetri."

Bella resisted the urge to balk.

She remembered Demetri from the last Banquet as well. He was one year her senior, and was the most flirtatious sixteen year-old she had seen in her fifteen years. She thought him dirty despite his impeccable sense of fashion and tidiness and thought his mother should rope him away before he caused a scandal. As expected, Lady Denali and her tight band of gossipers jumped on the excuse to declare him charming and a "worthy stallion".

Cue shudders, please.

She smiled and curtsied to her Grandfather, who was seated in the dining hall at the head of the very long, rectangular table. She could already picture the room clamoring with people and her feeling alone in a crowd.

Holding back angry tears, she tore from the room; pushing the white petticoats out of the way and tugging slightly at the black bodice that held a very restrictive corset underneath. She dove headlong into a book in the only redeeming quality of this huge mansion- the library. Bella thought that books were the greatest invention of man- they allow you to reject the present reality and replace it with your own.

Don't like life? Get lost in someone else's and read a book.

Have an eccentric grandfather who insists on finding you a suitor? Submerge yourself into Jane Austin's brilliant Pride and Prejudice: where at least one blasted woman in Europe can fathom saying no to a rich man because she does not love him. The heroine of that story gave Bella hope: maybe she wouldn't fall into the evil clutches of matrimony and be forced to walk two steps behind a man.

She sighed and slumped against the chair as she got to her least favorite part- where Elizabeth falls in love.

She wanted to pitch the book against the paneled walls of the library when Darcy said "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Bella was happy that Elizabeth turned Darcy down in this instance, but forlorn when she came to accept him later. Bella supposed she couldn't persuade all women to spinsterhood, though.

It isn't necessarily that she was against love, she just couldn't fathom it. There is no force that could constitute what she had seen love do. Her parents said they loved one another, but fought bitterly until her mother fell desperately ill. She passed when Bella was nine, and then her father passed after a year of wasting away in despair. Grandfather Aro took Bella under his wing and had her assume his surname, Volturi, but let her keep her last name; so she is known as Isabella Volturi Swan. Love killed her father. She saw men profess their love to women every day, claiming that they cannot live without their ladies. The men get rejected, whimper, but move on the next day. Fickle!

The book sagged to the thick rug when she finished the book for the umpteenth time and she sat with as bad a posture as she dared with Claire, the head maid, lurking. The door creaked open and she went ramrod straight, fearing the worst. Angela poked her head in timidly and smiled with relief when she saw Bella was alone; Bella sighed when it was only Angela, ironically enough. Bella smiled and motioned for Angela to come in. She came in and curtsied, much to Bella's dismay. Bella scoffed and asked her how her day was; something seemed off about her.

"Oh, I am fine Miss, thank you kindly," She fidgeted with the lace of the bow around her waist.

"What is it, Angela?" Bella asked. She bit her lips and cast her eyes down.

"I was sent from Lord Aro, Milady," She confessed.

"And?" Bella prompted with a sigh.

"I am to announce the opening night's festivities," She said quietly, "It is to be a masquerade, Miss."

A long silence pursued the statement.

"That is ridiculous," Bella said after a few moments, her insides feeling as icy as the air outside. Angela shrugged.

"At least you will be masked," She said with a slight smile. Bella rolled her eyes and sighed again.

"If we are to be masked and not know who each other are, then we might as well not be there," She stated.

"Well," Angela said, "Masquerades can be fun, am I wrong? Pardon for speaking so boldly, and I have never been to one myself, but I hear that they are the setting of much a mischief. That is bound to be diverting for such a clever girl as you, yes?"

"You're reaching, Angela," Bella said with a small smile, "but thank you. It sounds like you would rather go than me. Oh, if only you could go in my place!" Bella groaned, but froze as I pondered the seemingly ridiculous fantasy…

She abruptly stood up and stood next to Angela. She looked at the mirror near the door and saw their full-length reflections. They were about the same height; she had maybe two inches on Bella. If Bella were to wear high-heels, however, than nobody would know better.

She had Bella's hair color, but not the length. Hers was to her shoulders, and Bella's went well down her back. That could be easily remedied with a bun if her hair was wrapped around a handkerchief –making the bun bigger.

Any three-quarter or full-faced mask would cover up her face sufficiently and they could give her brown contacts to cover her vivid blue eyes.

These calculations raced through Bella's mind in seconds and then Bella whirled to Angela almost as soon as she looked at the reflection.

"That's it!" Bella cried, "Angela, you're me!"

A look of utter bewilderment crossed her face, and then a look of scolding came over her.

"Did you fall out of a tree again?" She asked. Bella shook my head impatiently.

"No, no, no," I said, "You are going to go to the ball as ME!" Her eyes went wide as saucers and a look of horror replaced the disapproving one.

"Milady! You have gone mental," She cried, "Oh dear me!"

"I am well in my head and you will be well in yours to keep your voice down, girl," Bella said hastily.

"You cannot be serious!" Angela despaired.

"Of course I am. You are slightly tanner than I, blessed girl, but that is nothing that a little powder cannot fix. We will have you a sickly pale color in no time." She joked, "You know me, thus can talk like me and act like me; you are a quick thinker and can act on your feet, and we can make you look like me. Best of all, you have never been to a masquerade!" Bella rejoiced.

"Oh, well I do want to go, but it will never work Miss!" She said. Bella gripped Angela's shoulders and shook her, trying to reason.

"Can't you see that I seriously don't want to be there? You so want to go and I couldn't care less, Angela," Bella said, "You could be in the spotlight for once with nobody the wiser. Nobody I have seen in the past five years will see me; Grandfather will be too busy opening night with talking to his friends and I know nobody else who is going. I will be there disguised as someone else, I suppose, for support or in case something goes wrong, but other than that I will not be the center of attention." Bella sighed dreamily at the prospect.

"But what about the people? I will form acquaintances with people you wouldn't have met; then they will talk to you the next day like they know YOU," She said.

"So you dance and you talk, and then you tell me who you met later," Bella said, "You have the best memory in the world and can probably tell me everything I need to know about everyone in the castle; let my quick thinking get me out of my problems with them later," Angela laughed at the compliment good-naturedly, and then stopped and pondered the plan. Bella was thrilled she was actually thinking of doing it; her desire to be dressed up and at a masquerade must have been greater than Bella thought.

"What if Claire finds out?" She asked suddenly.

"What if she finds out?" Bella asked, "It doesn't matter. I will abuse my wretched power over the castle for once and make her swear to secrecy and tell her that I am forcing you to do this."

She looked at the mirror Bella was looking at and cocked her head to the side.

"Well," She said with a smile, "I wouldn't want to have to make you force me to do anything, so I am afraid I am in."

Bella squealed with delight and almost looked forward to the mischief we were going to create.

….

"There is no way ma'am," Angela announced from the dressing booth in Bella's parlor.

"Is something wrong with it?" Bella asked anxiously. Bella could only see from Angela's bared shoulders up, and couldn't see much of the red fabric of the dress. Angela whirled and looked at Bella with an incredulous look. She swung open the door and let her see the full dress, gloves and mask and all. Bella gasped –she looked lovely.

Lovely barely covered it, she looked stunning. The bodice had intricately designed swirls and matched the patterns in the red mask that covered her forehead, eyes, half of her nose and half of her mouth. The two chose a mask that showed the left cheek and some of face so that they could put Bella's "trademark" beauty mark on her cheekbone by the corner of her eye on Angela to make her more like Bella. The petticoats were many and thick, making no need for a hoop skirt and having enough volume in itself. The crimson red went wonderfully with Angela's skin tone: too bad they were going to have to lighten it.

"Angela," Bella whispered, "Remind me to promote you to Duchess or something. You are far too gorgeous to go waltzing around in a Maid's uniform." Angela scoffed and looked at herself.

"This is too much," She said.

"Do you have any objection besides its ostentation?" Bella asked.

"None at all," She breathed.

"Well, then, you are wearing it," Bella declared, "For two reasons: one, you love it and two, it is just the sort of thing you or Claire would force me into." They giggled a little and proceeded with their devilish plans.

Three hours later found Angela and Bella plotted out. They were both sitting in Bella's parlor guessing at what might happen, trying to prepare for any scenario. Bella was ecstatic. Her only woe was that Angela was going to be stunning, but stunning as Bella, not Angela.

"If only they could see your beauty," Bella sighed. Angela shook her head at her friend's foolishness.

"That is of little matter," Angela said, "I will have just as much fun being you."

"You shouldn't HAVE to be me," Bella mumbled. Another genius idea dawned on Bella.

"Angela," She started with a sly smile on that immediately put Angela on guard, "We are going out tonight."

"Oh?" Angela asked, "I thought we were stocked on groceries and you certainly shouldn't be seen at a mere grocery store-"

"No, Angela," Bella cut in, "We are going OUT: like, going out DANCING."

"What?" Angela nearly shrieked. Bella laughed.

"I am not the best modern dancer, either, Angela," Bella said, "But I think we need to accomplish a few things tonight. One: we need the world to see you in your beauty. Two: I, quite frankly¸ need to be reminded which freaking century I live in."

"Miss!" Angela scolded at Bella's language and at such a scandalous endeavor.

"Don't make me force you," Bella joked as she searched her closet for adequate clothes. She racked her mind for that mental map of the city outside of the walls of Volturi Manor.

_Past that fancy Bourget Inn and the strip of shops, around the bend of the forest and straight into town… _She thought as she found two outfits that Angela balked at.

"Master Aro would have a fit, Milady," Angela breathed in terror.

"You are forgetting that 'Master Aro' is a completely oblivious, yet loveable, fool," Bella remarked.

"Miss Bella!" Angela said exasperatedly but with a slight chuckle.

"Oh, you know it to be true," Bella waved off, "Now put on this lovely red dress that matches YOUR skin tone oh-so-well like a good little best friend." Angela nervously took the garment, but couldn't deny the tingles of excitement at the prospect of being so devious.

"Now there is the glimmer of excitement I was looking for," Bella laughed, noting her friend's reaction. Angela merely smiled and complied with Bella.

….

The teenage bellboy brought up the last of Alice's many bags up to the Penthouse of the Bourget Inn. His face purpled slightly with the effort as he set down the bag and sighed in relief when Lord Carlisle dismissed him with a generous tip.

"Was this all necessary for one night, Alice?" Lady Esme chuckled, "You do remember that we are going to have to move all of these things to Volturi Manor tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, Mom," Alice said with a huff, "That is why I left some with the rest of ours in storage. This," She gestured to the hefty pile, "is only the necessities."

"You are the product of a spoiled life, dear," Carlisle joked.

"Well, you want me to be a lady and this is what I need to do so, Dad," Alice said impatiently. Carlisle raised his hands in surrender.

"How is it you can fend off the scariest of your peers on parliament but Alice gives you the creeps, Dad?" Emmett teased.

"I have learned to choose my battles, son, as you will be good to learn," Carlisle countered.

"And you will be good to fear me, too, Emmett," Alice cautioned.

"Psh," Emmett scoffed, "Fear a tame little pixie like you?"

The bantering faded into the background of Edward's conscious as he stared out the window at the town below. He sighed as their argument got louder and stepped noiselessly out onto the balcony.

_My family is ridiculous_ Edward concluded with a slight chuckle. Combine Alice's exuberance with Emmett's lack of control over what he says or does and you get a scary combination. He peered out through the strands of hair that hung in his eyes before impatiently flipping them out of the way.

He tried to remember how his parents had convinced him to come to this WEEKLONG event. Italy was beautiful, but he wanted nothing to do with that medieval-like castle they were going to stay at. Its master seemed both delirious and insane, but was a friend of Carlisle and thus to be respected…at least respected to his face. Edward thought it best not to mention his dislike to anyone, however, to avoid rumors or scandal –he'd had enough scandal.

He wasn't unaware of his parents' intentions, either. They meant to settle Edward down with a suitable girl in order to secure him a good image in England's eyes. How else would he save a spot in parliament when his father retired? Edward always grew up with the idea that government would be where he would end up –he saw no other alternative the way his parents always carry on about how he would be such a great protégée to Carlisle.

They had originally intended Emmett, the eldest son, to be the next Cullen in parliament, but a series of scandals led them to Edward, who was scandal-free.

_Maybe I should just get involved with a married woman or something like Emmett_, Edward thought cynically. Not many people knew of the darker events that haunted Edward like a phantom of the night, and Edward preferred to keep it that way. Only Carlisle, Esme, and Alice knew. _They aren't the ONLY ones who know,_ a mocking voice in his head reminded him. Edward shook his head to clear it.

He composed his face as he heard Alice open the door and approach him.

"Have you killed Emmett yet?" Edward asked coolly with a smirk.

"Give me time," Alice said, returning the smirk, "I love the goofball, but he is goin' down."

"Don't do that," Edward said with a straight face, "You will never be able to run for parliament with homicide on your record."

Alice's bell-like laugh echoed across the intricate architecture of the outside walls of the Bourget Inn.

"Hey, Mom and Dad say that there are some other guests here who will be a guest of Count Aro's as well," Alice said, "Do you want to come with me and Emmett to meet them?"

"Are they a bunch of drunken old women who will no doubt make a pass on me or Emmett?" Edward asked, trying to contain his smile.

"Most definitely," Alice laughed.

"Then count me in," Edward said with a good-natured laugh.

"No, Mom and Dad said that they were about our age or a little older," Alice said.

"Then no dice," Edward joked. Alice just rolled her eyes, took him by the arm, and led him inside.

"Emmett?" Alice called. Emmett strolled through his room door and into the main room of the suite casually and joined the other two out the door with a goodbye to their parents. They joked all the way down to the lobby and into the sitting room of the hotel that had a piano, television, fireplace, bar, etc.

There were a few people in the main room when they entered, but they were all middle aged.

"So much for our age," Emmett muttered. Alice nudged him while stifling a giggle.

"It might just take them a while to get down here," Alice said quietly. A man at the bar started to precariously sway on his stool and looked like he drank a fountain of beer.

"Who knows how to play the piano?" He bellowed in a clumsy, drunken slur. Edward shifted uncomfortably; he knew how to play, but he was worried about this stranger's sanity.

"He does," Emmett said stupidly while pointing to Edward.

"Well," The man mumbled, "Let's hear a song…P-piano man."

Edward sighed and sat down at the piano, shooting daggers at Emmett all the while. Edward couldn't really think of anything to play that the intoxicated man would know or like, so he played Piano Man by Billy Joel. He did call Edward that hadn't he?

The blonde man did know the song, it seemed, for he had started to stumble through the verses with the piano, humming the parts he didn't know the words to. Alice and Emmett sat down on a couch and tried to contain their laughter. Edward had to resist the urge to flinch at some downright painful parts in the man's singing.

The man was a mess. His tie and clothes suggested that they were once neat but just gave up and hung loosely over his bony frame. His blonde hair was shaggy and his teeth were straight, but stained.

He swayed over to the piano from the bar and clutched the side of it to stay upright. Edward stopped playing abruptly and swiftly caught the man as he seemingly passed out. Edward laid him on the ground and looked around the lobby for anyone who might know him as Alice and Emmett came to help him. Emmett and Edward carried the man to a nearby couch and Alice riffled through his wallet and found an ID.

"Christopher Newton," Alice read his name. Emmett looked up at the entrance.

"Hey, those two look like him somewhat," He said, "A family resemblance, you know?"

Edward looked up and saw a boy about their age and a woman who could be his mother looking around the lobby anxiously. The woman looked at the three crouched around Chris and sighed, clutching her heart. She tugged on the boys arm, gestured to the group, and walked over.

"Christopher Newton!" The woman breathed, "You are going to be the death of me."

"Here, we can help you get him to his room, Ma'am," Edward said formally.

"Oh, don't stress yourselves further," She said. She whistled a few bellboys over and turned back to the siblings.

"This happens quite a lot," She said sheepishly, "Mike, why don't you get to know these good people?"

Mike turned to us and smiled a cocky smile as the bellboys carted away his father with Mrs. Newton in the lead.

"I'm Mike," He said, "Mike Newton." He shook Alice's hand, who said, "I am Alice Cullen and these are my brothers, Emmett and Edward."

"Cool," Mike said, "So, what were you guys planning on doing?"

"We weren't really sure," Alice confessed, "I suppose just hang out here?" She gestured at the otherwise boring atmosphere. Edward found it odd how nobody else in the room reacted to Mr. Newton's pass-out or the dramatic events before and after.

"You can't stay here, trust me," Mike said, "It will drain your soul."

"What else do you suggest?" Emmett asked.

"Well," Mike said mischievously, "I know this one place that a friend recommended –a dance club."

Edward internally groaned.

"YES!" Alice shrieked very predictably.

"My friend said it has awesome hotties regularly and all of the best drinks, music, the works," Mike said.

"Isn't the drinking age here twenty-one as well?" Edward asked. He was twenty-one next month and Alice and Emmett were older than he was, but he didn't like the idea of being drunk in another country and clung to that excuse. Mike scoffed at his "naïve" friend.

"The law is something you abide when there is someone to enforce it, my friend," Mike said. Edward's eyes narrowed slightly, but Mike was unaware as he started to hype-up the club more.

"It's settled," Alice declared, "We are so in."

"Totally," Emmett said. Edward sighed –there was no getting out of this. He did not want to have to be the responsible one AGAIN, but he knew that to be inevitable.

Mike grinned like an idiot as he led Alice, Emmett, and a somewhat sulky Edward to his rental car.

"So, what are you guys in town for?" Mike asked.

"We are here for Lord Volturi's banquet," Alice said.

"As am I, as am I," Mike murmured in agreement as they approached the car.

It was a slightly unimpressive sedan.

"I know it isn't much," Mike said nervously, "Nothing like the killer ride I have back in the States."

Overcompensation. Brilliant.

The four piled in and drove off to this club. Edward was unsettled to be in this odd stranger's car and letting him drive to an unknown destination, but he managed to relax. He was with his siblings, after all.

They pulled up to an interestingly shaped building and could hear the music from the parking lot.

_Say goodbye to your eardrums, Edward_, he thought as he got out of the car and shut the door. Mike marched ahead of his new "posse" and Edward immediately regretted fueling his ego more than needed.

Alice didn't seem to care as she bounced with excitement. There was no line, either from the small population of the area to the sheer size of the building, so the group went straight through the doors into the loud music.

The club resembled a stadium, almost. Instead of bleachers, though, it had a raised platform that wrapped around the pit-like area of the dance floor. Four spiral staircases led to the dance floor and looped up with the balcony-like ring around it. The ring branched off into smaller rooms that looked like lounge-like areas.

Mike strutted forward in an awkward pace to one of the lounges and looked out over the dance floor below. Edward looked warily at the surrounding crowd, which was filled with drunken, sweating bodies.

"What a scene!" Mike said excitedly as he sat down in one of the lounge areas that were open. Edward sat down uncomfortably as Alice and Emmett plopped down next to them. Alice was looking around in wonder as well as Emmett.

"So, Edward was it?" Mike asked; Edward looked at him patiently, "Yeah?"

"How's your love life?" Mike asked. Edward blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly with, "Why, are you interested Mike?"

"N-no," Mike stuttered, faltering in his "cool guy" act, "I just wanted to know if you were as successful as I am with the ladies." He eyed a group of scantily dressed girls pointedly to emphasize his point.

"Oh, I think we are in different leagues, Mike," Edward said in sarcastically. _Try I don't treat them like a piece of meat, you swine_ Edward thought. Unfortunately Mike didn't grasp his sarcasm and took it as Edward saying Mike was better than Edward was.

"Don't sweat my brother," Mike said as he mock punched Edward's shoulder, "I can help you out."

Edward tried not to smile as he saw Alice and Emmett clamp a hand on their mouths to contain their laughter.

Instead he went wide-eyed and said, "Gee, Mike, you would share your knowledge with me?"

"Of course my desperate friend," Mike said. He started to get into his little lesson as he said, "Well, first off, you gotta just go IN there man, and I mean DEEP!"

Edward blinked and said, "I am afraid you are going to have to elaborate." _And I am almost afraid of what you are going to say, _Edward added mentally.

"You can't be afraid to plunge shoulder-deep into conversation to woo them," Mike said, "If they think you give a damn about their opinions, they will be ALL over you in the sack, man."

Knowing, or rather hoping, that no woman would be stupid enough to fall for his tricks, Edward said, "Can you show me?"

"Sure thing," Mike said. He scanned the crowd for what Edward hoped was the woman who would slap Mike silly and walk away. Edward followed his eyes when Mike said, "Aha!"

Edward thought he was going to go after the tall, and rather pretty, tan girl with brown shoulder-length hair and red dress at first, until Mike tapped the shoulder of the girl who the tan girl was with. Mike's prey turned around with wide brown eyes and Edward's heart stopped when he saw her for the first time.

….

Sneaking out of the castle was an interesting adventure. The girls first had a stable boy take their car out for "repairs", but had him park it out of sight of the guards. Then they stowed away on the delivery truck to get out to the castle walls, thanked the driver, and went to the ready car.

Bella remembered the town outside her cage of a home, and was refreshed to be driving and be reminded of what century she lived in. She often got confused with how she talked to Aro, with what she wore, etc.

_We resemble nothing of an eighteenth century maiden now, _Bella thought triumphantly. Angela's knee-high, off-the shoulder, crimson dress made her nervous at first, but she was growing into it with every minute wearing it. Bella had a blue silk, tube top dress on with an intricate weave at the bodice and matching blue, strappy heals. It was a little bolder than Bella would have normally done, and certainly somewhat outrageous for the coldness of the air outside, but she was in full rebel mode.

She drove confidently into the parking lot of the club, took Angela by the arm, and strode with her straight through the doors of the club, ignoring the chill as adrenaline made them warm.

"Oh my gosh," Angela gasped when she saw all of the people and the overwhelming atmosphere.

"I know, isn't it great!" Bella exclaimed. That wasn't exactly what Angela was thinking, but Bella's confidence and exuberance was contagious and reassuring, and Angela found herself nodding in agreement.

They walked further into the club until they both realized they had no idea what they were going to do.

"What now?" Angela yelled over the music. Bella was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. Fear stabbed her heart at first, thinking it was a guard who followed them or something. She turned around in panic, but relaxed when she realized it was just some blonde haired, boyish-looking guy.

That is, she relaxed until she saw his odd expression. It was like a drunken confidence or something that put her instantly on guard.

"Yes?" Bella asked pleasantly, sharing a quick look with Angela before eyeing the boy again.

"What's a knock-out like you doing in a place like this?" He asked.

"That's original," Angela muttered.

"Um, rebelling," Bella said with a muffled laugh at her friend's jibe.

"Nice, I love a good rebel," The boy said as he scanned Bella.

"Name's Mike," He said, extending a hand. Bella took it and introduced Angela first, not sure what she should call herself.

"My name is Chloe," Bella finally said after Mike looked at her expectantly. Bella was surprised that Angela didn't react like anything was weird –she guessed that Angela supposed she was going keep her identity concealed.

"So, Angela, aye?" Mike said, "You have mile-long legs, girl, nice."

"Thank you," Angela said curtly.

"I know someone who would just love to meet you," Mike said and looked back towards the lounges, "Would you care to meet my friends?" Again, Bella wasn't sure how to react, but didn't have to when Angela said, "Sure."

Mike put an arm around both of the girls' shoulders, much to their discomfort, and led them to a table with three people sitting at it. Bella couldn't really concentrate on the people because she was trying to get Mike away from her –his arm off her at the very least. She managed to make it look like she stumbled and got out of his arms –only to fall into someone else's. One of the guys at the table they approached was fast and shot his arms out to steady her.

"Not very graceful, are we Chloe?" Mike said, and Bella had to remind herself to respond to Chloe.

"Clumsy Chloe…that's me," Bella muttered. She looked up at the person who still held her by the top of the arms and was immediately captivated by endless green forests wrapped up in two intoxicating orbs set in a perfect face. The two pools of liquid emerald shifted from Bella's riveted face to Mike as he raised an eyebrow at Mike.

Bella blushed in that annoying way she does and fumbled up from her crouch in the stranger's arms.

"I am sorry," Bella said to the man. Only when the other two people in the booth chuckled slightly did Bella notice them. It was a testament to the first stranger's eyes' beauty that they kept Bella from noticing the odd pair. There was an enormous man with dark, curly locks that hung over his square-jawed face and a small, angular, exceptionally pretty girl with short, black cropped hair. One suggested body builder, one pixie.

Bella dared another look at the green-eyed stranger and he just smiled at Bella and reassured her it was no bother in a voice like melted honey. During this exchange Angela had managed to slip out of Mike's arm, slid next to the fairy-like girl in the booth and started a conversation.

"So, Edward, meet my new _friends_ Chloe and Angela," Mike said, "Chloe, Angela, meet Alice, Edward, and Emmett." Angela and Bella greeted them and Bella tried to make the eye contact with Edward the same healthy length it was with Alice and Emmett.

Bella sat down next to Edward and Mike and was uncomfortably hyper-aware of every movement made by Edward. It was really quite aggravating that she felt an urge to watch him run a hand through his hair every now and then.

"So, Edward," Mike said in a smug tone that confused Bella, "Did I teach you or did I teach you?"

"Yes Mike," Edward said with a roll of the eyes, "You managed to get two pre-…gorgeous…girls over here who took pity on you."

"What?" Bella asked.

"Oh, Mike just tried to educate me somehow and thinks that he proved something by getting you guys over here and introduced to us," Edward said with a dismissive wave of the hand. Bella's blood boiled. Angela shot her a warning glare while talking to Alice before Mike said, "Don't downplay what I did, Cullen."

"Is it really so-" Edward started, but Bella cut in with, "No, let him have this victory, Edward; it is obvious he doesn't get many." Emmett laughed while Mike turned a color of red.

"Don't be that way, baby," Mike said, "I didn't mean to offend your honor in the least."

Bella wanted to shoot him already.

"How noble, Mike," Bella said in a sickly sweet voice that actually had Mike going.

"Well, yeah," Mike said, evidently pleased with his quick wit (or lack thereof), "I actually wish that I could spend the week with you instead of the actual business I have in town." He sighed.

"Really?" Bella asked, "What business would that be?"

"Oh, Chloe, it is some stupid Banquet set by a froo froo princess and her delirious grandfather," Mike sighed, "I've heard rumors of her crazed tantrums and smug vanity." Bella's blood ran cold and she had a mad desire to laugh hysterically as well as bolt out of there as fast as possible.

"Are you going to this banquet as well?" Bella asked Edward.

"Yes," Edward said, but Bella couldn't detect a negative connotation to his words, "I don't know how, um, 'froo froo' this Bella is or how delirious her grandfather is, but my family and I will be there."

_Too many witnesses,_ Bella's conscious hissed to her. Her eyes shifted to the door and to Angela. Angela, surprisingly, didn't look strained as she was having a perfectly pleasant conversation with Alice. Bella sighed and decided that she was just going to have to threaten these people into secrecy once they found out who she was.

"Do you know this wench Bella?" Mike asked disinterestedly. Bella snickered and said, "I have seen her once or twice, but I have not had the misfortune to meet her as you would put it. Have YOU met her? You judge her harshly for so young an acquaintance."

"'For so young an acquaintance'? What century do you LIVE in?" Mike guffawed.

"I suppose a century where it is uncommon to be smart," Bella muttered, and caught Edward snickering at her aside.

"But have you met her?" Bella persisted.

"No," Mike said grudgingly.

"Then how can you stamp her a hag?" Bella asked. Mike just shrugged and looped an arm on the back of the seat behind Bella. Bella's back went ramrod straight to get as far away as she could from Mike's arm.

"So do you live nearby, Chloe?" Edward asked, leaning on the table slightly.

"I live in the area, yeah," Bella said.

"Bummer," Mike said.

"How is that a bad thing?" Bella asked, irked.

"This place kind of gives me the impression of sucking your soul, but it is nice to see it hasn't affected yours," Mike winked and scooted somewhat closer to Bella. Bella leaned as close to Edward as she dared to get away from Mike.

"Chloe, would you like to dance?" Edward asked in her ear. The proximity of his face to hers was more intoxicating than any liquor and Bella found herself breathing his scent in. She didn't know exactly what was happening until Edward took her hand and led her away from the table. Bella looked back at the table and saw Alice, Emmett, and Angela all smirking at a very solemn looking Mike.

Edward chuckled and said, "Sorry about that, my siblings and I just met him tonight as well. This was more to get you away from him." He motioned to their joined hands. Their clasped hands had been what centered in Bella's conscious from the moment they touched and her eyes snapped to the green orbs and blinding grin and she felt her knees grow wary.

_NO,_ Bella thought to herself_, do NOT becoming a swooning pigeon, Bella._

"Thank you for saving me, but I am afraid my friend and I have to go," Bella said with an apologetic smile. Edward's face showed remorse and Bella fought the crazed urge to kiss it away. She had to put a lid on these feelings that were multiplying at an alarming degree. She slipped her hand out of Edward's hand, walked back to the table and said tightly, "We have to go, Ange."

Angela was about to argue, but she further scrutinized Bella's face, said a quick goodbye and left the table.

Bella felt a hand on her arm before she got the door, turned, and almost drowned in those intent green forests again.

"Yes?" Bella asked breathlessly.

"You have to let me have at least one dance, Chloe," Edward said. Bella winced at the name. She looked desperately back at Angela and found her looking at the two with a calculating expression.

"Actually," Angela said, "I was having a rather pleasant conversation with Alice, over there, and I have nowhere to be, so have fun you two." And with that she glided away and back to Alice.

Bella didn't know whether to kiss her or strangle her.

"Excellent," Edward whispered as his grip slid from her upper arm to her hand. Bella sighed in satisfaction and exasperation. Edward led her down the narrow staircase to the dance floor and maneuvered around the dense crowd as another song blared through the speakers at deafening decibels.

Edward abruptly stopped and whirled, catching Bella's hips in one arm and the back of her neck in the other hand. It was an odd position to be in, but a heavenly one nonetheless. The proximity, much like before, was intoxicating and for a mad second Bella thought he was going to embrace her. The hand on her neck slid at an agonizingly slow pace down her back and to the other around her hips so that they were in a somewhat more convenient position for this style of dancing. Bella was a master of the ballroom and anything lady related...Bella took a look around…this style dancing was new to her…even worlds away from the passionate tango. She looked back at Edward, whose forest eyes were in some deep, thunderous storm and smoldering Bella to her core.

In that moment it didn't matter that she had never danced like that before. In that wondrous moment it didn't matter that she was a product of an eighteenth century minded group of people. In that wondrous, beautiful moment, all was Edward. His scent flooded her nostrils; she could taste him on her tongue despite its deprivation of contact with him; every inch of her skin, clothed or not, could feel him; and he was all she saw. Every contour of hers was met in a delicious fusion with his and when he moved she was his extremity; moving in sync.

It was an interlinking like no other. The other couples could have been raving elephants for all the fluidity they had in comparison with the way Edward and Bella moved. Bella pushed negative thoughts to the back of her mind. She pushed the fact that she was Bella back –instantly preferring to be Chloe. Chloe would be a normal person. Chloe would be the kind of person Edward would want –daring, determined, always lovely and well dressed.

Chloe wouldn't have to lie.

All thought flew out the window as Edward's hands crept lower. Bella's hands wound around his neck and her back bowed so she was lowered in a dip. Edward seemed to get more courageous and one of his hands hiked Bella's knee over his hip while Bella was still in the dip. He flung her back to him so fast that Bella was winded and plastered on Edward. Bella's startled eyes met Edward's cool and slightly cocky ones as he smiled a crooked smile that played on the edge of a smirk; it took Bella's breath away.

Her leg was still wrapped around Edward's waist and she did what came naturally. She slid her other leg backwards so that she shimmied down Edward's body and she heard Edward's breathing catch as the side of her face was pressed against Edward's chest. Her fingers stiffened around his neck and she slid herself back up his body. His hands went downright southward and cupped her bottom in a way that Bella had never been touched. She gasped and nearly lost it. She had no idea what to do with herself.

"Chloe," Edward breathed, and Bella wished he hadn't. The moment shattered into a million pieces and her heaven was left in tatters. The wicked lie stood chuckling in her face as it dashed her dreamland to disaster.

Angela skidded to a halt in front of the couple in disarray.

"Chloe!" Angela shrieked over the music. Edward loosened his grip minimally and looked at Angela in an exasperated manner. Angela wasn't having that –she ripped Bella away from Edward, whose arms protested the vacancy, and looked at her wild-eyed.

"Chloe, we have to go," Angela's gaze shifted to upstairs to two men. Bella looked up and when white as a sheet.

There stood two guards, searching the club undoubtedly for Bella and Angela.

"How did they find us here?" Bella asked desperately.

"Chloe?" Edward asked, and Bella flinched, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes," She whispered, "I have to go! Come on Angela."

Her mind in full-flight mode, she sped up the staircase. Once she reached the top, she looked back at the stunned, shattered man below. She let out a helpless cry and outreached a hand, but was towed away by Angela.

"Come on, Bella," Angela whispered urgently in her ear. The two weaved in and out of the crowd, and Bella could see Alice and Emmett diverting the Volturi Manor guards. Bella and Angela burst out of the doors, not even registering the cold in their panic, and sprinted across the parking lot as much as they dared in the heels they were in. Bella stomped on the gas and peeled out of the parking lot.

"That was amazing, ah! I have never let go so much in my life!" Angela screamed. Bella sighed.

"Edward is going to hate me once he figures out who I am," Bella said.

"No he won't, with a father like his he'll understand your need to let go," Angela said.

_But how do I stop him from getting disinterested in me?_ Bella thought uneasily, but she appeased Angela with, "I hope so."

"The two of you seemed more than cozy down there, aye?" Angela said while wiggling her eyebrows, then clamped a hand over her mouth and a few nervous giggles escaped her lips before she added, "Dear me, one night like tonight and I forget a lifetime of stringencies."

"I prefer this Angela infinitely more," Bella said, "She suits you more."

"Indeed," Angela muttered, looking out the back window.

"Is someone following us?" Bella asked with a few nervous glances in the rear-view mirror.

"No, Alice kept her word," Angela said and elaborated with, "She and Emmett promised to distract the guards…I do believe Emmett pretended to be drunk all over them…"

Now THERE'S a mental picture.

"Yes, you guys seemed to strike up a rather nice friendship," Bella noted. Angela nodded with a smile.

"Alice is a lovely girl," Angela said, "She shares a love of clothes with me; she just likes to wear them more than I do."

"So is that what I am to you? A doll?" Bella challenged with a laugh.

"So I like to dress you up," Angela shrugged, "It isn't my fault I can't help myself when you dress so horridly."

"I'm flattered," Bella said.

"You are a most unusual heiress," Angela said for what seemed like the billionth time.

"So I've been told," Bella sighed, but changed the subject with, "How are we going to get inside the walls?" _How are we going to get inside my prison?_

"Good question," Angela murmured, looking in the back window again, "Perhaps we should park the car where we got it and sneak in through another route…"

"The basement winery," Bella said instantly. Angela's gaze snapped to Bella's and Bella continued, "Oh c'mon, Angela, you don't think I knew we had one or where it was? I AM heiress of this place and HAVE been a very adventurous child."

"Indeed again," Angela muttered with a smile at her lips. Bella parked the car where they got it and slinked to the wall of the castle. They stayed very near the wall and walked around to the only floor window in the walls. Bella crouched down and looked at the window closely, making sure that security didn't put any new security alarms on it.

"Crap," Bella muttered when she saw a very basic, but very annoying system.

"What's the matter?" Angela fretted in a harsh whisper.

"Do you have a small piece of paper; like a business card or credit card?" Bella asked while studying the window more closely.

"Yes but-"

"Trust me, Ange," Bella said. Bella held her hand up while still looking at the window and said, "Good girl," when she felt a business card pressed in her palm. Angela huffed as Bella slid the business card on the pressure sensor between the window and windowpane.

"Okay, now I want you to gently push the window up," Bella said.

"Okay," Angela breathed. Angela held her breath as she slid the window open, expecting to hear an alarm go off at any second. Bella was careful to keep pressure on the sensor as the window slid slowly away from it. The warm, inside air smelled strongly of wine and other aging alcohols.

"Go in, Ange," Bella said when the window was open, "Careful, though, I think there is a keg below that you should step on to get into the room."

Angela repeated a line of nervous, "oh my oh my oh my oh my," as she slid into the room as quiet as a mouse…well…as quiet as a mouse saying, "oh my oh my oh my oh my."

"Got it?" Bella breathed into the silence of the dark room below.

"Yes," Angela hissed, "What now? I can't reach the window to hold the switch!"

"Then stand on the keg!" Bella said, exasperated. Angela fumbled back up on the keg and Bella saw her tan arm reach out into the night to hold the switch. Once Angela had it, Bella took off her heels and nimbly leapt into the room, landing with a soft thud right in between where the two kegs of wine were on the left, three on the right; just as she remembered.

"Milady!" Angela said, startled, "Are you ok?"

"Of course I am," Bella said as she dusted herself off and hopped onto the keg Angela was on to safely close the window. Once she closed the window and the two of them let out a relieved sigh, they both looked at each other and squeaked.

"We did it!" Angela breathed, "But let's make haste, we need to get you in bed for tomorrow's big day!"

Bella didn't even mind the sound of that –nasty old banquet or not.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Sunlight played on the side of Bella's face that wasn't smothered by a pillow when dawn came that morning. Bella squeezed her eyes tight before opening them and looking out the window to the wonderful view of Volturi Manor.

"Could that glorious dream have been real?" Bella asked the lark outside her window. In any other instance, she would have declared that she was insane and that what she thought happened last night was too good to be true; now however, given how beautiful the man was that was so wonderfully close to her, she wasn't so sure. His perfection was nothing that she could dream up; his face was carved from the gods, surely.

She gave a start when she realized she would get to see him again…as someone else…

She realized the complexity of the situation a moment too late…or a DAY too late. Presently, he thought she was Chloe and he probably thought he would never see her again. Tonight, he wouldn't know who she was because she would be under a mask as another person and nobody else but Angela and her could know of their plot, so she couldn't tell him. The next day, he would see her at another event up Aro's sleeve and would no doubt recognize her…and be angry at her for not coming to him sooner about her identity…

Another thought came to Bella: maybe he wouldn't care? Maybe he would shake it off good-naturedly because he didn't feel what Bella had felt…

_Fine!_ Bella thought in unreasonable anger, _let him be indifferent; so will I._

And with that she tossed off the covers in a huff, swung her feet over the edge, and told herself to think of _him_ no longer.

"It's better like this," Bella told the attentive lark, "I came too close to swooning over him."

The lark hopped in place and cocked its head.

"I can refrain from thinking of him," Bella answered its unspoken question. The bird turned its head and leaned away in a doubtful manner, looking at her out of the corner of its eye.

The lark gave a cry and flew away as Claire came bursting through the doors to get Bella ready for the day.

"In ze tub wiz you," She said in her heavy French accent. Bella curtsied, sighed, and went into the bathroom while Claire whirled around her room like a tidy tornado, picking out clothes for Bella and cleaning her bedchamber. When Bella filled the tub she got in. She washed her long hair and scrubbed her body clean of impurities. She performed her feminine rituals and went back into the room in a towel.

Claire gestured towards the bed and Bella put on the undergarments while Claire waited impatiently facing the other way.

"I'm decent," Bella said quietly. Claire turned around and rolled her eyes.

"You air not _deezent,_ Mademoiselle," Claire muttered as she grabbed the dress off of the bed.

"I am decent enough for you, Claire," Bella mumbled, then added "No corset today?" hopefully.

"Not until ze bowl tonight," Claire said.

"The bowl?" Bella asked.

"Yes, ze bowl. Jew know, euh…wiz ze danzing and ze maskz?" Claire explained.

"Oh," Bella said, "The _ball._"

"Zat is what I said," Claire said curtly. Bella nodded and bit her lip, grateful that Claire was doing up her back bows and not able to see her face seconds from laughing.

"Do you know who is going to be there?" Bella asked timidly.

"Wi, I dew," Claire stated after a particularly tight pull on the strings of the bodice. Bella gasped at the restriction and realized why there was no corset –this dress had one built in. She sighed and asked, "Who?"

"Many peepal air comeeng, Mademoiselle," Claire said, "like zat strapping young man, Demetri, no?"

"Strapping indeed, Claire," Bella groaned, "but without a wit about him."

"Zere air worze zings," Claire said nonchalantly.

"Oh, like an insufferable flirt?" Bella asked sardonically. Claire merely shrugged; Demetri and Bella would always be a fine match in that narrow-minded head of hers. Claire finished up and her stout frame and draping uniform bobbed as she curtsied. She left in an awkward sweep of black skirts and aprons.

Bella shifted her bodice around slightly and tried to ignore the strangulation that threatened to make her faint. She took as deep a breath as she could and breezed out into the hallway to find Angela.

Bella didn't make it very far down the corridor, however, before she ran into someone other than Angela. Aro held his granddaughter at arms length with a kind smile.

"Oh, good morning sire," Bella said breathlessly as she stepped back from Aro to curtsy. Aro bowed his head slightly in greeting.

"Just the girl I was looking for," Aro remarked.

"Whatever for?" Bella asked absentmindedly while scanning the hallways around Aro for Angela.

"Some of the guests have arrived, my sweet," Aro said, "The Denali girls need a hostess now don't they?"

Bella's eyes snapped to Aro's now –thoughts of Angela postponed.

"Indeed?" Bella said. Her nerves started working together with the constrictive dress to give her tunnel vision.

"Certainly, dear," Aro said with a sweep of the hand, "Lord and Lady Denali are going with me for a turn about the manor, but the young ladies needed a guide of the city, they claim."

Bella grit her teeth and muttered unintelligibly.

"Sorry?" Aro asked.

"I said I would love to, dear Grandfather," Bella said with a plastered-on smile. She stepped forward, kissed Aro's hand, stepped back, curtsied, and followed him to find them. Aro led her to the dining hall where she was arguing futilely with Aro just yesterday to find Lord Denali, Lady Sasha, and Misses Tanya, Irina, Carmen and Kate sitting peacefully at the long table.

Aro bowed his head and Bella curtsied in greeting. Lord and Lady Denalis' smiles resembled sneers, Tanya flipped her head once in our direction, Irina merely looked at us with a straight face, and Carmen and Kate smiled and inclined their heads.

"Ladies, your tour guide, as promised," Aro said, "May I introduce my Isabella?"

"I remember her well, Aro," Lady Denali said, "She improved greatly in posture and manners from my teaching if you recall."

_However can I repay you for talking my ear off?_ Bella thought sarcastically while keeping the pleasant smile on her face and replying with, "How could I forget, Lady Denali? Your advice was very welcomed, I assure you."

"Of course it was, naïve girl," Lady Denali said. Bella had to bite her tongue and restrain her eyes from narrowing into a dangerous glare. Kate and Carmen shifted uneasily in their seats.

"Why don't we get along on our little journey?" Kate asked quickly with a pleasant, yet somewhat tense, smile on.

"Certainly," Bella said as she stepped to the doorway and waited for the Denali girls to file out of the dining hall.

"Until tonight, Lord and Lady Denali, Grandfather Aro," Bella nodded to the respective person and left the room while quietly closing the door behind her.

"So, um, what century have we entered, exactly?" Tanya snickered. Bella shifted uneasily, trying desperately not to be rude to her otherwise rude guests. Tanya smirked at her silence and Bella guessed she thought she had won something.

"I know that big thing with wings MAY have seemed like a time machine to someone with as much wit as a sloth like you, Tanya," Kate said, "But I can assure you it was a plane, not a time machine. We are in the same century, idiot."

Tanya was about to reply a haughty remark, but Carmen, always the pacifist, cut in with, "Ladies, let's not fight; we are in the presence of our very _gracious _hostess. Let us have that tour, Isabella."

"Sure thing," Bella said.

As they were walking towards the limousine outside, Bella heard Tanya and Irina whispering and giggling.

"Seriously," Irina said, "I thought we'd stepped into a museum!"

"I know," Tanya said, "If it wasn't for the men who are coming here, I SOO would not be caught dead here!"

"Speaking of which," Kate said louder, indicating that everyone could hear their poorly masked conversation, "Aren't the Cullen's coming tonight?"

"Yes, I think so," Bella said as they stepped outside and into the limo; she tried unsuccessfully to push thoughts of Edward to the back of her mind… again. Bella breathed a sigh of relief upon looking at the chauffeur's very familiar tanned skin, black long hair tied in a neat ponytail, and tall frame.

"Jacob," She said, "Very good to see you."

Jacob Black had saved her from many a terrible occasion. For instance, when she was seventeen and a bridesmaid smashed in the cab of the limo (feeling rather claustrophobic) with six buoyant girls, one bride, and eight huge dresses (including hers), it was Jacob who got her in the front seat with him. He lied and said he was new to the area and claimed to need a navigator, giving Bella a seat next to him and her personal space back.

He was the younger brother she never had and who always had her back, and her, his.

"Ma'am," Jacob nodded in the rear-view window because of the other ladies' presence, "Good day to you, Denali's."

"Don't address us," Tanya said snootily, "Keep your eyes on the road."

Bella was about ready to kill her. Jacob, upon seeing Bella's murderous face (and not giving a rat's ass about what the conceited blonde said), decided to say, "My apologies," and closed the partition between the cab and the back of the limo.

"My goodness," Irina said while looking at Bella in almost disgust, "Do you always make friends with your servants?"

"Now who is living in the wrong century?" Bella asked.

"Excuse me?" Irina asked shrilly.

"I am sorry I will not lie down and be your whipping girl while you prance up and down the hallways of my home insulting anyone and anything you choose," Bella quipped, "but I would appreciate it if you would treat me as I do you; which is with nothing but grudging respect."

Irina, Tanya, Kate, and Carmen blinked; this was not the Bella they remembered.

Kate laughed once in disbelief, put a hand on Bella's shoulder, and said, "It is SO nice to see you again." Irina and Tanya slumped in their seats sulkily and looked out the window.

"Where are we going to, anyways?" Tanya asked annoyed.

"I suppose if you girls want to shop we could go to the marketplace," Bella suggested.

"The marketplace?" Tanya asked flatly, "Like, where you exchange chickens for a cow hide?"

"Yup," Bella said, "And we also watch people get their heads cut off via guillotine for entertainment."

They looked at Bella in alarm and she sighed.

"Of course not, Tanya," Bella said with a roll of the eyes, "It's a bazaar of sorts. There are no chickens, cow hides, or guillotines. It is a plaza of local vendors with pretty much everything from handmade dresses to Italian glass crafted jewelry; sound better?"

"If Italian glass jewelry is involved, it can't sound bad," Kate laughed. Jacob pulled up to the loop in the plaza that circles around the enormous fountain and put it in park to open the door. Bella was last to get out and was horrified to see that Tanya had actually tipped Jacob five dollars.

"Oh my gosh Jacob," Bella breathed, "I am so sorry about that…that monstrosity!" Bella said once she saw Tanya drag Irina to a shop that she deemed "cute". Jacob laughed hysterically for a second or two and shoved the bill into his pocket.

"Hey, no problem," Jacob said, "Maybe I'll buy a keychain later."

"Lucky you," Bella said with a laugh as she leaned up against the side of the car.

"Not planning on shopping?" Jacob asked as he took a spot next to her. He tucked his white-gloved hands under his elbows as he crossed his arms and Bella shook her head.

"Grandfather wants me to more or less babysit them while he plays garden with Lord and Lady Denali," Bella said, "He just wants to show off his 'award winning gardens'."

"They are pretty spectacular," Jacob agreed. Bella sighed.

"Yes," She said, "Aro is having them wired with lights for tonight's ball, evidently."

"It's already done," Jacob said, "My friend's the electrician."

About fifteen minutes passed this way before a strange occurrence happened:

"Oh Bella?" Tanya called across the plaza, "I need my hostess's opinion."

"Really," Bella muttered, "How about this: I think you should jump off a cliff."

Jacob laughed and nudged Bella off the car.

"Coming," Bella called back. She looked back at Jacob, mouthed "help me", and walked over to Tanya.

"Why on Earth would you want my opinion?" Bella asked.

"Well, I think I was being a little too…well…rude earlier; like you said," Tanya said slightly uneasily. She shot a look at Carmen, who nodded encouragingly, and continued with, "As long as you are so nice a hostess, I will try to be a conforming guest."

Bella blinked with surprise.

"Um," Bella stuttered, "No need to apologize, but I agree. What is it you need my opinion on?"

"Which dress is my color?" Tanya asked as she held up two floor-length, off the shoulder dresses of the same style, but different patterns and colored prints.

"I think that the deep purplish blue one will compliment your strawberry blonde hair more than the green one," Bella said. Tanya squeaked and said, "That is what I thought, too, but it is much more reassuring from you." Bella tried to catch herself from looking at Tanya as though she was possessed and nodded with a smile. She went to stand on the side of the shop near Kate as Tanya went into the dressing room of the tented shop.

"Did you get anything?" Bella asked Kate.

"An Italian glass pendent and platinum chain," Kate raved, "It goes perfectly for my dress tonight!"

"Interesting," Bella said. Kate showed Bella the pendent and chain and Bella remarked on its beauty and craftsmanship. Kate sighed happily and put it back in her purse.

An hour later and the girls were ready to head back. Tanya had kept to her word and was pleasant, but Irina did not adopt Tanya's change of heart. Bella missed Angela and cursed the fact that Angela couldn't come with the party to the plaza. She somewhat comforted herself with the knowledge that in just a few hours, Angela would be breathtaking and having a great time (except the fact that she would be breathtaking as BELLA)…

Jacob smiled a professional smile as he opened the doors to admit the ladies, and Bella was relieved that Tanya said sorry to Jacob, thanked him, AND used his name. Major bonus points! Jacob was also taken by surprise, but nevertheless told her not to worry about it.

The ride back consisted mainly of the Denali girls fantasizing about the coming night.

"Oh I just love a good masquerade," Carmen sighed.

"Oh, me too!" Tanya exclaimed, "Who knows what handsome chap we will meet under the mysterious shield of a mask?" We chuckled at her mischievous tone of voice and wiggled eyebrows.

"Did you have anyone in mind, Tanya?" Kate asked amusedly, "Maybe Edward Cullen? He will be there."

Tanya shot a look at Kate that was odd; almost one of warning. Kate snickered and withdrew from her confusing jest.

"Do you like Edward Cullen?" Bella asked, unable to keep a lid on her bubbling curiosity. She cursed herself for it, though, because now she was thinking of him again!

"We have an interesting history," Tanya said vaguely while looking outside the window. Bella bit her tongue because she had vowed, let the silly lark be her witness, to think of him no more. Jacob pulled through the Volturi Manor walls and near the front door, where he got out, opened the doors, and wished the women a pleasant evening. Bella hugged him goodbye and walked inside with the girls.

"Well, Bella," Carmen said warmly, "It was lovely to go out with you, but I think we must retire to prepare for tonight." Bella looked at a grandfather clock and saw it was five thirty. The guests would arrive at about eight. Bella couldn't fathom why it would take so long for them to get ready.

Bella squeaked with surprise when someone roughly grabbed her arm and dragged her down a corridor. Angela hissed for her to be quiet and Bella went more willing when she knew who had captured her.

"I have been looking for you all day, Ange," Bella said in a whisper, "Where have you been?"

"You haven't been looking for me, though," Angela said with a sly glance her way, "You have been with your best friends."

"They're not even close to you, Ange," Bella said with a shudder at the memory of the shopping trip.

"Then they must be really, really terrible," Angela declared as she opened the door to Bella's room.

Bella would have objected to her statement, but was distracted by her room and what was laid out on her bed. There were two sets of dresses and matching accessories; one the familiar red set for Angela and another not-so familiar black and white ensemble. It was a strapless, white-based, floor-length, figure-hugging dress with black, intricate sequined designs. It was paired with gloves that went up to the mid-upper arm and a clear shawl with matching black sequins patterns from the dress. The strappy heels made Bella panic.

"You know I don't need those," Bella said in a calmer voice than she thought she had, "I am going to be strictly behind the scenes."

Angela started to fiddle with a bag on the bed and shrugged at Bella.

"You would stand out if you didn't wear heels, Bella," Angela said, but corrected quickly with, "I mean, ma'am. You practiced ballroom in those heels and should be perfectly fine." Bella sighed and let the subject go.

"How does my mask look?" Bella asked. Angela pulled out a mask from the bag and handed it to Bella. It was…different.

"Angela!" Bella exclaimed, "I will stick out like a sore thumb in this mask! I am supposed to blend in." Bella dangled the mask in front of her face and looked at Angela through it.

The mask itself covered the top half of her face, leaving only her lower jaw and lips showing. It was pearl with black soutache lining it and black designs. Black and clear woven fabric laces were on either side of the mask for ties. At the crown of the head was a brooch with marquisites embedded in its surface. From the brooch sprung striped hawk feathers. The bottom of the mask, however, was dripping with beads that fell in strands down the bottom half of her face.

It looked beautiful, but outlandish.

"You would stand out if you were wearing some plain mask," Angela repeated, "It's a harem style mask. If you think about it, the mask is perfect. It hides your most identifiable features: including your nose, brow, and mouth, but the beads allow ventilation so you won't get hot breathing into the plastic of a full mask."

"Wow," Bella said blankly after a pause, "you thought this through, haven't you?"

Angela beamed, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right."

…..

"Stop fidgeting," Bella hissed for the millionth time.

"This is not going to work," Angela moaned. The two were looking in the mirror in Bella's room with thirty minutes until the guests arrived. Angela's skin was now the creamy ivory of Bella's and Bella's was a shade lighter than Angela's tan, but much darker than her own complexion. Bella had blue contacts in and Angela had brown. Angela's mask hid her face well and Bella marked her cheekbone with the beauty mark. Angela wore flats under her red dress because she was already a good deal taller than Bella, but nobody would notice the height difference with the invention of heels. Bella, on the other hand, wore those scary strappy heels that matched her modern-looking dress.

"We look great and we have prepared for this, Ange," Bella reassured her friend, "Now stop fidgeting and act like me!"

As if an actress preparing for a role, Angela snapped out of being her presently-nervous self, held her chin up in a defiant gesture, and the side of her mouth that Bella could see tugged up in an amused smirk.

"I am so proud," Bella said as she hugged Angela.

"Don't smudge the skin," Angela warned.

"It takes a lot more than a hug to get this make-up off, Angela, don't worry," Bella said, "Now don't forget, you are going to enter through the West Wing of the ball room in a 'grand entrance' and start the dance with Aro; don't worry, he will be too busy looking for his next partner to notice you're any different from me. Then you dance with the other 'eligible batchelor's' and what not, okay?"

"Got it," Angela said, "for the millionth time," she added. Bella smiled because that was a very Bella-like thing to say.

"Alright," Bella said, "now I, Mademoiselle Abelle De Lombe**(A/n: That's De Lombe, like Day Lom-bay)**, have to go and mingle with the other unsuspecting guests."

"Good luck, you French maiden you," Angela giggled.

"And you, you Eetaliaan woman you," Bella said in a French accent.

…..

Bella was currently engaged in conversation and dance with a middle-aged, boisterous man dressed as a pirate masquerader. She blended in perfectly, or so she thought. She tried to make sense of his very clumsy dance movements while he babbled. She checked on Angela, who did her appearance beautifully (with grudging happiness like Bella would have), danced with Aro, three other men, and was now on her fourth. No rumors rippled through the crowd of an imposter Bella, so all was going well.

"Yes, quite right, quite right," the man, Mr. Hylls, prattled on, "but what really makes the African lands so formidable are the heathens there. They will kidnap a fellow mine-owner, cut off his head, and eat the—" He was cut off from his disgusting rant by a velvet, all-too familiar voice.

"May I cut in, Mr. Hylls?" _He_ asked from behind Bella. She froze, turned, and restrained a gasp. He looked _stunning_. He _was_ stunning. He was dressed as a much (emphasis on much) better-looking Phantom of the Opera with Erik's classic white mask and black cloak. Under the cloak he wore a white, dress button-up that was slightly unbuttoned and very distracting for the female eye. She met his unconcealed green eyes and it felt as though his penetrated her disguise right down to her core.

During her assessment of him, Mr. Hylls handed her off to Edward and she started following his effortless, masterful, graceful moves around the floor.

"Pardon me for interrupting your…discussion…with Mr. Hylls," He said with a coy smile –he must have heard how completely irritating Mr. Hylls conversation was.

"Ee is an…euh…interezting man," Bella said in her accent that she learned from years of French classes. Edward smiled and said, "Might I have your name?"

"You may, Monsieur, but I do not zink it will zuit you," Bella laughed.

"I meant what is your name, Miss?" He clarified with a roll of the eyes but with a smile nevertheless.

"Abelle De Lombe; and you?"

"Edward Cullen," He said with another dazzling smile.

"A pleazure."

" Pleasure is all mine," Edward said while the dance continued.

"Well, aren't we greedy?" She teased. Edward laughed and Bella was captivated. She had to remind herself to keep her faculties or she would slip up.

"You are a wonderful dancer, Miss De Lombe," Edward remarked after a particularly hard move that the two did flawlessly.

"And you, Monsieur Cullen," Bella said, remembering all-too well how good a dancer Edward was.

"Please, call me Edward," He said, "_Monsieur_ Cullen is my father." Bella giggled and nodded.

"Zen call me Abelle as well," Bella said, "_Miss_ De Lombe is my mozzer."

"Is your family here as well?" Edward asked, looking around.

"Euh, no," Bella said, while inventing wildly, "Zey are not comeeng to ziz banquet, zo zey zent me in zeir place."

"So you wouldn't come if they did?" He asked.

"I do not zink so," She said, and allowed herself to smile, "Zese eventz air not my…euh, 'ow you zay… cup of tea."

"Well, then I am glad you are here in their place," Edward said, "It would be a shame if you weren't here."

"Ere, dancing wiz you?" Bella said, "I zink you would servive without me."

"I may _survive,_ but I wouldn't have _fun_ or be interested in anyone," He said, then caught his blunder and said, wide-eyed, "I mean anything. Anyt-thing like dancing."

Bella smiled and looked down. The dance got more intimate in the silence as the song picked up in tempo. Edward's hand went from on her hip to around her waist so he was holding her with his arm to him and his other hand was went from her hand to her hip. She wound her arms around his neck and went along with his fluid movements.

"I aven't danced like zis wiz someone else in a while," Bella said quietly. It felt like an eternity since she was able to hold Edward like this.

"Neither have I," He murmured as the song came down from its climax.

"Yes, I am zure the other men you ave danced wiz mizz you." Bella said, surprising Edward. He looked at her in alarm, but caught her playful smile and he had a coy one of his own.

"You think I'm gay?" He asked with a dangerous narrowing of the eyes to match his smirk.

"Well," Bella said, "You drezz nicely, can dance wonderfully, and know who Erik iz from zee Phantom of zee Opera: zee odds are not in your favor."

Edward laughed and said, "Well, aren't we observant? How can I prove to you that I am not gay?"

"I do not know," Bella shrugged. Edward stopped moving and a hand slid from her hip up her side.

"You can think of nothing?" He murmured. Bella gasped inaudibly as his hand slid to her arm from the top of her waist and continued to slide upwards. She struggled for clarity of thought. He hand went over her bare shoulder and up her neck until he reached the beads of her mask. His hand slipped under the mask and stroked the line of her jaw. His thumb went across her lips in a feather-light caress. She moved closer to him, forgetting reason.

He smiled and swept the beads out of the way, and Bella was reminded faintly of a wedding veil. His face was inches from hers now, and he looked deep into her eyes. She forgot to worry that he may see the contacts, but he evidently didn't when he swooped in and caught her lips in a heavenly embrace. She gasped as a surge of unintelligible emotions and feelings coursed through her. Her brain both shorted out and got shocked into overdrive at the same time.

She was a marionette: not completely in control of her actions. Edward wasn't the only surprised one when she took his bottom lip in between her teeth and sucked. He moaned and held her waist closer to his. She wanted to scream, drink in his senses; hell, she wanted to _fly_.

She remembered where she was, however, and quickly disengaged herself from him. The two were panting and Edward was looking at her wide-eyed through his mask. For a crazed moment, Bella thought that Edward knew who she was, but then he whispered, "wow," and she knew that he was just as stunned as she was. One small part of her brain registered that he managed to kiss her like _that _around the mask and the larger part of her brain wanted to know how he would kiss her with no mask on…and now shoes…and no dress…

She looked quickly around and noticed that the dance was done. She cursed herself for almost becoming the center of attention –luckily they made their way from the center of the dance floor to a more out of sight portion of it during the dance. Her eyes met Edward's again.

He was looking at her in a hungry sort of way, yet a bit sheepish. They were both still very much out of breath.

"Ok," Bella said, remembering to speak like a French maiden, "Zo, you are not gay…"

Edward laughed and smiled a smug smile. He was about to say something, but Angela came up and interrupted the two (again).

"Ah, Mademoiselle De Lombe," She said with a curtsy. Bella was a bit worried that she was here and looking a little frazzled.

"I am afraid I am going to have to steal her, Mr. Cullen," She said to Edward without looking at him, trying to relay important information through her eyes.

"Oh, um, we were just going to-"

"NOW, Mademoiselle," Angela said a bit sharply as she took Bella's arm and whisked her away. Bella looked back and helplessly waved as Edward just stood there, bewildered.

"Perfect," Bella muttered, but not loud enough for Angela to hear. Angela led her to an employee's bathroom and shut the door, making sure nobody saw the two.

"Angela, what is the matter?" Bella asked as Angela turned to her and tore her mask off. Angela was panic-stricken.

"My word, Angela, what is it?" Bella asked.

"There is going to be an unmasking!" Angela hissed. Bella's gut dropped.

"A what?"

"An unmasking! You know, where you take off the mask and reveal who you really are-"

"I know what an unmasking is!" Bella cut in, "So we just have to switch."

"Switch?" Angela repeated.

"Yes; switch," Bella said, "You are going to dress as Mademoiselle De Lombe and get out as soon as you can –before the unmasking. Don't let anyone see you –especially Edward."

"Yes, about that-"

"Not now, Ange," Bella said, "How much time do we have?"

"I overheard it was going to be in fifteen minutes," She said.

"Then we have to work fast," Bella concluded.

It turns out that Edward was going to find out who she was that night…brilliant.

….

Edward stood in a numb daze as the girl of his dreams was whisked away…again. _First Chloe, then Abelle? Seriously?_ Maybe fate should throw in an Italian goddess as well into the mix, just to shake things up.

"Edward, there you are!" Alice said. Her arm was looped through a tall blonde man's who was dressed as a sailor masquerader. He smiled at Edward tentatively –probably because Edward must have looked somewhat insane and very confused (which was what he was, really). Or maybe it was because he was with his sister; Edward didn't know and didn't really care at that moment.

"Edward, I would like you to meet Jasper," Alice said while beaming up at the tall man. Edward, on any normal occasion, would have noted how she looked at him like the blind does the sunlight for the first time, but he was beyond being his normal observant self.

"I have heard nothing but good things about you, Edward," Jasper said, offering his hand to shake. Edward took it numbly and nodded, still trying to sort through the jumbled thoughts and emotions berating his mind. Alice, being _her_ normal, observant self, looked at Edward with narrowed eyes.

"What happened to that wonderful dancer you were with, Edward?" She asked. Edward's gaze snapped to Alice's.

"You saw her?"

"Of course," Alice said with a shrug, "I haven't seen you take such interest in a girl since…well…last night I guess." She laughed as she realized that Edward has been "in with the ladies" as Mike would say. She stopped short when she realized that she struck a tender topic. She tried in vain to cheer him up all night and all day from the Chloe fiasco; now it looked like she was going to have to put on her big sister hat again because of this mysterious French maiden. Edward didn't really want her pity or her comfort…he didn't really know WHAT he wanted, much less WHO he wanted.

"Yes, well," He said gruffly, "If you'll excuse me, I have to go find someone."

He heard Alice whisper, "Go get her, Edward," as he walked away.

"Don't go too far," Alice called, "The unmasking is soon."

An unmasking? Did that mean that Abelle would take off that mask of hers and let Edward see her beautiful features? The shape of her thick-eyelash-rimmed eyes, the line of her dainty jaw that he had felt, the smooth skin…? Edward looked at his hands that had stroked the fine creature and did a double take.

On his hands were smears of make-up. THICK make-up. He hadn't rubbed her face that hard at all, where make-up generally was… On the contrary, his touch was light as a feather on her glorious face. The only places he touched with any hint of roughness were her arms, shoulders, and neck. He had to resist the very uncharacteristic blush that threatened to creep up his cheeks as he remembered his bold caresses and the way his body reacted to her.

He shook his head and headed to the bathrooms to wipe his hands off. Once he stepped out of the restroom, he heard two girls whispering fiercely to each other.

"But Bella, it iz cold outzide!" One said in an odd French accent.

"I don't care; do what you have to do!" Bella whispered back.

"But-"

"An- I mean Abelle! Go, now!" Bella all but commanded. At the mention of that name, Edward whirled. The two girls weren't the only ones in the hallway. There were a number of people lingering in the hall. Edward saw Abelle's familiar dress and mask, and started towards them as he heard a voice through a grand entrance to the ballroom on his right say, "Alright ladies and gentlemen," The speakers boomed as music drifted away, "It is that time of the night! The unmasking! We would like to ask you all to gather on the dance floor in front of the stage, if you will."

The girls on the other side of the hallway looked around wildly, and Bella met Edward's gaze under her mask and even from this distance Edward could see her eyes widening. The crowd in the hallway stirred and caused a commotion as they started to enter the ballroom. Edward tried to push past the crowd, earning a few shouts of protest from the people, but ignored them as he strained to see Abelle.

Bella was pushing her out the door at the end of the hallway and whispering at her things. Abelle looked startled and left ahead of Bella. Bella shut the door while still inside and looked back at Edward.

Did she just kick Abelle out? Did that pompous little heiress just threaten Abelle to leave because she was getting Edward's attention?

Bella bolted to her left through another entrance to the ballroom other than the one that people were jamming into. Edward made it through the crowd and burst through the outside doors. He looked around wildly. How could Abelle stand this cold in that dress of hers? It wasn't snowing, but it had to be in the fifties or sixties. Hatred for Bella and her callous act to such a nice creature made a chill creep up Edward's spine as he looked fruitlessly for Abelle.

"Abelle!" He called.

No reply.

He moaned in frustration and went inside. He went through the second entrance Bella had in search for the enraging heiress.

"You're a Cullen boy, aren't you?" An older man asked from behind Edward on his wild search. Edward turned and saw Master Aro before him.

"Oh, yes, I was looking for Miss Swan," He said stiffly, referring to that heartless person so commonly and courteously was hard, "Is she here?"

"Of course," Aro said gaily, "but she is about to go on stage for the unmasking. Everyone will gaze upon her beauty in wonder and awe from the crowd."

_I'd bet she's love that_. Edward thought. He remembered Mike speaking about Bella, her _crazed tantrums _(such as kicking a poor, foreign girl with no family in the country out into the cold) and _smug vanity_ (such as making everybody look at your "beauty" on stage.)

"I'll wait until after the unmasking to speak with her, then," Edward said; _speaking_ being a loose interpretation for what he planned to do with Bella…more like yelling until his throat hurt. Aro nodded and showed Edward to the audience.

Edward felt that as soon as he laid eyes on Bella, he would explode. He saw Alice with Jasper and Emmett with some leggy blonde, but had no desire to be with either couple. He leaned up against a column in the shadows like the phantom he was dressed up as while Bella was announced.

Applause erupted for her as she stepped out gracefully to center stage. Everyone was whispering in the crowd about her with knowing smiles.

"Do you think she grew out of the silly habit of climbing trees?" One woman asked a friend near Edward.

"I don't know, but I do know that Demetri is set on making her his," The woman confessed sagely. The surrounding group of women gasped at the news. Edward rolled his eyes. Oh, yes, Bella, the snobbish heiress, would make a fine match for that idiot Demetri. Tales of his scandal reached further than Emmett's –definitely attention that Bella would love to get in with.

"And now, my wonderful guests," Aro said happily into the microphone, "I ask that you all remove your masks."

Edward ripped off his mask like it was the only thing keeping Edward from strangling the girl on stage. Other people delicately removed their masks and laughs chorused in the room as people saw others out of their poor disguises. It's not like the masks that most people wore disguised them well, anyways.

The chatter died down as Aro held a hand out, removed his mask, and motioned to Bella to do the same. She seemed to take a breath, and removed her red mask. The shudder that went through Edward wasn't only because of her beauty. The face that had plagued his mind even more than Abelle's stared back at the crowd.

Bella was Chloe.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Dawn's light played with Bella's curtains and her eyes snapped awake –very aware that the very gorgeous man that had plagued her dreams (still) was very confused and (most likely) very angry… and living in the same castle as she.

_Perfect._

There was a familiar soft tap on the door and Bella beamed, sitting up and momentarily forgetting her troubles in the presence of her ecstatic friend.

"Angela," Bella breathed. It was the first time that they saw each other since Bella shoved Angela into the night to get her away from Edward.

"Ma'am," Angela nodded. Bella frowned; something was off about Angela. She looked ecstatic, but under a layer of professionalism.

"Angela? What is it?" Bella asked as Angela stepped into the room. As if to answer her question, Claire charged into the room and started digging around in Bella's wardrobe.

"In ze tub," Claire commanded. Angela winked from behind Claire and went to help Bella in the bathroom as Claire readied Bella's chamber.

"I have to talk to you," Angela hissed to Bella. Bella nodded furiously.

"Get rid of Claire," Bella whispered. Angela looked at her incredulously.

"What should I do?"

"Act on your feet."

And with that Bella shoved Angela out into the room where Tornado Claire was in motion.

"Iz Bella in ze tub, Angela?" Claire asked briskly. Angela blinked, wondering why she was there, looked back at the closed bathroom door, and cursed her friend silently.

"Angela?" Claire snapped.

"Oh, yes, ma'am," Angela said warmly, "She is all settled for her bath."

Angela fished around wildly for an idea to get her out of the room.

"Ms. Claire?" Angela asked, "Why don't you let me handle this room for today. I am sure there is a ton of people who need you today; what with all of the guests and what not."

Claire looked up from making the bed, torn. Angela held her breath while Claire deliberated, but let out a sigh of relief when Claire nodded and left to attend to the other guests. Angela barreled into the bathroom, knowing full well that Bella was not in the tub.

"Thank you for feeding me to the shark," Angela said in a clipped tone. Bella shrugged and smiled.

"You managed –you always do."

"Only when you make me," Angela mumbled. As the memories of last night came back to both of the girls, they allowed themselves a few excited squeaks and prances.

"I cannot believe we pulled that off last night!" Angela said with a grin.

"Psh, I can," Bella scoffed, "We are criminal masterminds."

"Well," Angela said, "maybe not MASTERminds…" Bella remembered the few chinks in their plan –like Edward, for instance.

"Yes… We did slip up on a few things…"

"Oh, poo," Angela said, "Who cares if Edward saw us both? It only increases the probability of our story. You _took off the mask_. Nobody can doubt it was you in the red dress the whole time."

"True," Bella sighed –but she was not able to convince herself fully that the plan was foolproof.

"You're worried about that Edward chap giving you trouble?" Angela guessed.

"Sadly, yes," Bella sighed, "He seemed…enraged."

"Well, you did shove his love into the cold, wintry night."

"Cold and wintry indeed," Bella muttered, then look at Angela, "I am not…I mean Abelle was not his love!"

"Sure sure," Angela said, holding her hands up in defeat but smirking nevertheless.

"Alright, Miss Matchmaker," Bella sighed, "Who did I dance with yesterday?"

Angela launched into the story of last night as Bella. She went into the ballroom after a reassuring gaze from Aro (which was not reassuring at all to Angela –only more nerve wracking) as the center of attention. Her first dance, as planned, was with Aro. Bella had been right on her assumption –Aro barely talked to "Bella" at all during the dance.

"He said you were lovely…that's about it," Angela said.

"You mean YOU were lovely," Bella corrected. Angela rolled her eyes and continued. She then danced with Emmett –another person that scared her greatly because he knew the two of them, though not very well. Emmett, unlike Aro, talked to "Bella", but, like Aro, didn't suspect a thing. Her next dance was secured by a man named Jasper Whitlock, a very tall, very blonde, and quite beautiful man.

"He was, like Emmett, a gentleman and talked easily," Angela said, "That is, until the end of the song came and he saw Alice Cullen…" Angela trailed off with a smile. Bella giggled.

Angela grew serious and businesslike as she told Bella about the next dance.

"Bella," Angela hesitated, "I tried not to dance with him so much…but I had to dance five dances with Demetri." Bella's jaw dropped.

"FIVE?"

Angela nodded glumly.

"Oh my goodness," Bella said, "I am sorry you had to put up with that…"

"Bella," Angela said like she was talking to a three-year old, "It is not just the fact that I had to sit through it that has me worried –now everyone thinks you like him."

"Oh brilliant…" Bella muttered after realization struck.

"Lady Denali came up to me and congratulated me on the 'fine man' that was courting me…" Angela winced, "'Me' meaning you, of course."

Bella could have spit fire right then.

"Okay…" She said after drawing in a long breath, "Tell me more."

"Well, after Demetri released me –the awful dancer–, I danced with Benjamin Cheney." Angela said, and Bella noted the slight tone of reverence in her voice. Angela blinked and continued before Bella could read too much into it, "After him, Mike Newton –beware of that boy, he is an awful flirt."

"What did he do?"

"Salivated on me like I was meat, for one thing," Angela said with a wrinkled nose. Bella and Angela gave a collective "ew" and moved on.

"During my break of two songs, though, I heard something from Tanya that I think you should know," Angela said while looking at Bella seriously, "It's about Edward."

Bella put herself on guard immediately.

"What about him…?" She said warily.

"Him and his past relationship with Tanya," Angela clarified, "She saw Abelle and Edward dancing and said something to the effect of 'if I were her, I'd watch out'."

"Why, what happened?"

"Well, about a year ago, they were intimate. They were a happy couple for about two months, or so she thought. She arrived early from a party one night to find him wrapped around a red headed woman. She left, heartbroken, and promptly ended their relationship." Bella's eyes widened. "Wow."

"But that isn't all. Tanya started a relationship with another man, and when Edward saw the two in public, he flipped and proceeded to beat the man she was with to a pulp."

Bella gasped. Edward was passionate about certain things, sometimes irrationally so, but she couldn't exactly picture him violent…

Bella then remembered the murderous glare she saw him give her even from on stage right after the unmasking and believed that, if given enough motivation, he could snap.

"Wow," Bella breathed, "Thank you for telling me that. Is that all that happened at the ball?"

Angela wracked her brains for anything else.

"Not really," Angela said, "I'll fill you in as we go…" She trailed off.

"I better get ready or else Grandfather will have my head," Bella said.

"Yes, you have brunch with EVERYBODY at eleven and an Opera tonight at eight," said Angela as she turned on the water and went into Bella's room to finish what Claire started.

Bella thought that at least she would have most of the day to herself –God-willing…or, more appropriately for this situation, Aro-willing.

….

Bella practically flew out of her room after Angela spent a good hour getting her ready. Angela was hot on her heels as the two of them moved down the hallway.

"Must we always go through such pains to dress me, Angela?" Bella asked over her shoulder irritably. Angela shrugged but was silent. The two heard male voices in the other room –unfamiliar ones to Bella. Angela squeaked and stole down the hallway in the opposite direction, wishing Bella good luck but telling her she had to go. Bella looked down after Angela, confused.

"Bella?" Someone asked tentatively. She turned around and saw a boy that was about her height with unremarkable brown hair and cute dimples matching his grin. He swooped forward, took Bella's hand, and kissed it longer than she liked. He looked up from her hand through his lashes with a worshipful smile on his face and Bella remembered his name to be Ben.

"You look splendid this morning, Bella," He said warmly. Bella felt her cheeks get hot and took her hand out of his –feeling very confused.

"Thank you, you look quite well yourself," She said stiffly. From behind him, to her horror, he produced a bouquet of pink and white roses. She flushed as he put them in her hands and said, "I would be honored if you would accept these." She took them and started to wonder exactly what happened between the two of them when she wasn't there.

"Thank you, Ben," She said, looking around for a vase to ditch them in.

"They portray purity, perfection, hope and romance…" He trailed off while taking a step closer.

"Lovely," Bella said faintly (with horror, not admiration). Unfortunately, Ben took it for the latter and his smile grew. He went to take her hand again, but was interrupted.

"Bella?"

She turned to the voice and saw Mike Newton, coral roses in hand. She nearly screamed in frustration.

"Well, well, well," Mike said, his eyes narrowing at Ben menacingly, "What do we have here?"

"I was giving Bella the flowers she deserves," Ben said haughtily, his chin going up in a defiant gesture.

"What a coincidence," Mike sneered, "So am I." He marched forward, took the flowers in Bella's hands, ripped them out, chucked them to the floor, and gave Bella the coral ones (which she knew to mean sexual desire, _how romantic_, she thought wryly).

Ben was about to protest, but Bella cut in.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," She said breathlessly as she tried to gather up the two dozen coral flowers in her arms. She went over to the white and pink on the floor and collected them.

"You needn't quarrel for me," She said, "I am needed elsewhere, though, so if you'll excuse me." She swept from the room before they could follow, but she heard and argument to the effect of "You scared her away!" "No _you_ did!" start up. She was still looking for a venue for the tons of flowers in her hands when a masculine voice called her name for the third time that morning.

Chills went up her spine because she would know that voice anywhere.

She turned and saw Demetri standing there, looking at her quizzically and her hoard of flowers.

"Having a lot of suitors, I see," He said in a light tone. Bella was terror-struck when he held out a dozen long-stemmed red roses from behind him.

"Not you too!"

"Mine are the only ones that matter, Bella," He said in what Bella supposed was meant to be seductive, "Remember that."

"Oh, for the love of…" She muttered as she stepped forward, took the flowers, and walked down the hallway further to find a vase (or a garbage can) for the infuriating flowers. She didn't get very far, though, before encountering someone else.

"What a shame," someone said behind her, "Here I forgot to bring the heiress flowers."

Bella whirled and saw someone who she definitely did not want to see just then. In fact, on a list of people she soooo did not want to see at _that_ second, _he_ was at the top.

"I thank you for it," Bella said, struggling with the flowers, "I am going to drown in pollen."

"Don't tell me you don't love the attention, heiress," Edward hissed. Her eyes narrowed.

"What, exactly, did you want, Mr. Cullen?" She said in a clipped tone.

"I want to know where Abelle is," He demanded.

"She left," Bella said simply.

"Yes, I saw that," He said angrily, "I saw you push her out into the cold."

Bella groaned internally.

"She left," She repeated, turned on her heel, and went to walk away.

Edward wasn't having that.

"Sorry to keep you from you admirers," He mocked in his irresistibly velvet tone as he grabbed her arm and forced her to a stop, "but you know something that I need to."

"Let go of my arm, Mr. Cullen," She said frostily.

"Tell me where she is," He quipped.

"I cannot, apologies," She said as she turned on her heel and started away.

"Oh no you don't," Edward twirled her around to face him.

"Touch me again and you will regret it, sir," She spat, "I want no quarrel with you and am sorry that I cannot tell you where she is, alright?"

"No," He retorted, "It isn't, _Chloe._"

Despite herself, she gasped. She knew he knew, of course, but the name brought an onslaught of memories. He looked at her smugly.

"Yes, you didn't think I noticed, huh?" He asked sardonically.

"No, I knew you knew," She said quietly, "But I must ask you to let me tend to these…things."

"Yes," He said flatly, looking down at the roses contemptuously, "Which are your favorite, though? The hope? The sexual desire? The passion?"

"None," She said tightly, "Now release me so I can find a place to place these less conspicuously before I shove them in your accusatory mouth…sir." Edward blinked, surprised by her outbreak, but straightened from his menacing crouch over her.

"This discussion is far from over, Swan," He warned.

"You don't know the half of it," She muttered as she walked briskly away.

Edward was furious.

Not only because she walked away again leaving him just as clueless as before, if not more so, but he _wanted_ her to stay. He scoffed at his own ignorance. Someone cleared their throat behind him –a dainty, girly hum. He turned and saw a girl that he danced briefly with last night. He groaned –she was one of the ones who were practically glued to him.

"Hello, Edward," She giggled as she swayed on the spot in a flirtatious manner. Edward almost balked.

"Hello Ms. Stanley," He said calmly, stealing glances left and right to find a way out and to see if anyone else was there to save him. She took two timid steps forward and smiled.

"I wanted to know if you would sit next to me during the brunch," She stated.

"I think there is a certain type of seating arrangement, Ms. Stanley," He says, just to be safe from having to reject her.

"Yes, well, I am sure you could talk them into sitting next to me," She practically purred. Where did the shy little miss go? Edward's eyes widen slightly, the only betrayal of his terror.

"Edward?" A very different, much more welcome female voice called.

"Yes, mom," Edward sighed, looked at Ms. Stanley like "_what can ya do?"_, and left with his waiting family into the large, stone-walled dining hall. Draperies and tapestries adorned the walls as well as huge, stained-glass windows, giving the room an airy and light feel. Edward scanned the room as if for prey –waiting for Bella to immerge for her audience.

"Who are you looking for, bro?" Emmett asked quietly as he sat down. Carlisle, on Edward's left, looked at the two boys to his right questioningly.

"Looking for someone?"

_I can't get a break,_ Edward thought to himself in disbelief.

"No, not really, just admiring the arrangements, really," Edward said, actually noting their beauty.

"You think they're up to par?" A woman across from him asked incredulously. Edward leveled a look at her; it was obvious from her tone of voice what she thought of the arrangements.

"Yes, I think so," He said evenly, "The windows are at the precise angle to subdue the harsh angle of lighting coming from the east, and the tapestries are in the beams of light almost as if in a museum. Not a lick of electricity was used in the arrangement for mornings and yet it looks better without it."

The woman blinked.

"My, my, Lord Carlisle," She breathed, "You have certainly educated the boy in the arts."

"I am afraid that was Esme's doing, Lady Denali," Carlisle chuckled, "Alice and he love what she has to teach."

Emmett and Edward shifted, noticing Emmett's absence from the statement.

"So, Emmett," Edward said loud enough for Lady Denali's prying ears to hear, "How is that museum that you are chairperson of doing?"

"Just fine, Edward," Emmett said with a sly grin on his face. There was no need to say HOW he got to be a chairperson for said museum…especially no need to include that Emmett had been intimate with the manager and found out its inner workings, then used that knowledge to secure a seat…

Lady Denali had her head looking towards one of her daughters, but it was obvious she had been listening. Her eyebrows rose with the new knowledge and Edward felt smug for his brother.

_Take that._

Edward looked at his father with a look that said, _lay the hell off._ Carlisle cleared his throat, turned to Esme on his other side, and started conversation. Alice, who was on Emmett's right, leaned forward to look at Edward with a grin.

"Nice one, Eddie boy," She mouthed. Edward rolled his eyes with a good-natured smile.

The grin was wiped off his face as he looked up and saw everyone was seated –save one seat next to Aro's head of the table seat. Aro had a pleasant face on, but looked around irritably when he thought no one was watching. Edward flicked glances around him as well cleverly, but came up with nothing.

"She's not here," Someone said across the table from him. Her looked up and saw one of the Denali girls looking at him. It wasn't…_her_… but one of _her_ sisters. Her pretty blonde looks remind Edward of her sister, but her voice and seeming wisdom didn't. Edward cocked his head to the side.

"Excuse me?" He asked pleasantly. She smiled knowingly at him.

"She isn't here yet," She repeated. He felt Emmett and Alice's gazes on him, but ignored them.

The girl's light blue eyes assessed him with a smirk.

"But she will be," She said. Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes, enough with the ominous statements!

"It seems that Aro will not be very pleased if she doesn't get here soon," Edward said nonchalantly, like that was why he was hounding the halls for her.

"Ah, is that why you want to know? For Count Aro's sake?" She asked with an ever-growing smirk.

"Well, not to be rude," Alice intervened, "but it is nice to see you again, Kate."

Kate looked at her for the first time, "Yes, it has been too long, Alice." She says warmly.

"And you, Emmett," Kate says, "Who was that lovely woman you were with last night?"She craned her neck to look at the guests sitting at the long, rectangular table.

"Rosalie Hale, sitting seven chairs to your left," Emmett answered robotically and almost instantly. He blinked, looking surprised as if the words poured out of his mouth without his consent. Alice coughed to hide her giggle. Edward smiled at his brother –hoping that this would be the girl to rope him in. Looking at the leggy blonde, she looked like a ready candidate: just enough sass to whip him into shape, and more than enough beauty to keep him interested.

Edward could not assess her longer, though, because he heard Bella bustle in and sit down gracefully beside Aro.

"Ah, thank you for joining us, Bella," Aro said in a tone like _finally_. Bella threw a look at him that Edward couldn't quite place before saying, "I rather hoped you _all_ wouldn't wait for me, please help yourselves." Edward didn't move as the others scooped things out of serving plates and bowls in front of them. He stared at Bella, forcing her to meet his gaze. She did evenly. It disconcerted him how she didn't seem to feel even the smallest shred of his fury. He wanted her to practically melt under it. She took things out of the plates in front of her while still looking at him with a straight face.

His eyes narrowed as this seemed to be turning into some sort of staring contest. She surprised him by beaming at him, then turning her conversation to an elderly gentleman beside her. Edward caught himself gaping.

"Edward?" Someone called. His eyes snapped in front of him, where Lady Denali was looking at him crossly. He had no idea what she had said.

"I got it, Lady Denali," Emmett said as he picked up the croissants in between Emmett and Edward and handing it across the table to Lady Denali. She thanked him curtly and took up to buttering her croissants. Edward sent a thankful look to Emmett, who winked back.

Breakfast went by with Edward routinely eating –more out of habit than actual necessity. He didn't have much of an appetite when Bella was in the room as an insufferable distraction. He pushed the food around his plate grumpily and tried to ignore the snickers and whispers from Alice and Emmett. He flicked more than occasional glances at Bella, but she never met his gaze; whether she was ignoring him or ignorant of his glares, he didn't know.

Bella nearly bolted out of the door when Aro dismissed us until tonight's Opera. Edward found himself erecting himself out of his chair and craning his neck to find the elusive heiress. He started to go after her, but moaned in frustration when his mother called his attention.

"Dear," She called again, "we are going to go into town to look around; would you like to come?"

"No thank you, mother," He replied tersely, "I have another matter to…attend to…"

"Mhm," Emmett said with a straight face, "Another matter…Let's go guys."

With that Emmett herded Alice, Carlisle, and Esme out towards the main entrance to leave. He looked back at Edward with a wicked smile on his face and a conspirator's wink. Edward rolled his eyes and followed the way that Bella took.

He didn't make it far before he realized that he was not only hopelessly lost, but that Bella was nowhere in sight. He groaned in frustration and looked out the window of the tall tower he managed to climb up. It looked exactly like a spire in a gothic cathedral. He sighed and watched the landscape in the morning light. The lawn expanded about one-hundred yards in pristine condition before a jagged line of trees signal the start of the forest that runs to cover the faraway mountains.

"It's like a fairytale here," He muttered.

Then he saw it.

A figure in a green cloak and carrying a wicker basket was making its way hurriedly to the line of trees as if they were in a jailbreak. He had to admire the person's obvious physical prowess, being able to run that fast with the basket. They kept glancing back at the castle as if expecting a fire breathing dragon to come out and drag them back. Edward was transfixed on them. Who were they?

"There she goes again," an elderly maiden murmured as she looked out the window with him. Edward whirled on her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked breathlessly.

"I am watering the plants in the greenhouse, sir," She bowed and motioned to the plants hanging on the ceiling that Edward had not noticed. Before he could be bashful at his thoughtless question, she asked, "What are you doing spying on Miss Swan, sir?"

"That's Bella?"

"Yes sir-"

He didn't hear anything else, for he bolted down the stairs of the spire and flew after the devious woman in the green cloak. As he burst through the double doors at the bottom of the staircase, he saw her faintly in the distance. She was already almost to the trees. He booked it through the gardens that lined the immediate lawn and into the long expanse of grass. He had to get close enough to see her before she was swallowed by the looming willows in the distance.

He was grateful that she stopped looking over her shoulder, or she would have spotted him zooming over the lawn as fast as his legs would carry him. He couldn't even remember why it was so important to catch up to her –much less what he was going to say when he did catch up. Maybe he was curious as to what she was doing. _Great, I am a class A stalker_, he thought irritably as he pushed himself to go faster. He was breathing harshly now, only about forty yards away from her, when she disappeared in the line of trees.

By the time he made it to the first tree, he knew that she would be too far wherever she was going and it would be unwise to follow her into an unknown forest. He rested his hands on his knees and tried to quiet his breathing so that he could listen for her as he crouched by a tree. When he recovered his breathing, he looked around.

He understood why she wore a green cloak; the whole forest was coated in green moss and leaves. He sighed and closed his eyes, listening.

"You are a terrible tracker," a voice mocked.

He rocketed back into the tree that was behind him and his eyes flew open.

Nobody was there. He scanned the trees and figured she was behind one.

"Where are you?"

"Another sign of your terrible tracker abilities."

He grew irritated.

"The least you could do is show yourself."

"Hmm," she mused, "after all the trouble you took to follow me, I suppose I should…" She leapt into his sight down from a tree about four yards in front of him. He looked up at the tree where she was in, and then to where she was standing; regarding him with narrowed eyes and a quirked eyebrow.

Edward took a few steps closer to her and she yelled, "DON"T!"

"What, are you afraid that I'll hurt yo-"

Edward yelled in surprise as something from the floor entangled him and flung him into the air. He scrambled to get a sense of balance as he looked through some sort of mesh to the forest floor where Bella was trying to restrain her laughter.

"What the hell…?"

"I am not worried about you hurting me," She stated, "Just that you were about to step into a booby trap."

"Why did you want to capture me?"

"I didn't know it was you who was pursuing me," She said, "I was afraid it was…someone else…" She muttered as she looked down.

His eyes narrowed at her, "You could have told me."

"I tried, you idiot," She muttered as she produced a silver-looking object from her cloak. She tossed it up to him and his hand shot out of the net to catch it.

"A metal nail file?" He said flatly, "It'll take forever for me to cut through the rope with this."

"By which time I will be long gone and you will turn tail and go back," She said with crossed arms as she regarded her prisoner. His eyes widened.

"What?"

"I don't want you following me to where I am going."

"Why?"

"That's my business."

"Well, seeing how I am your helpless captive, would you mind filling me in?"

"As a matter of fact, I would," She said briskly as she picked up the basket that she was carrying earlier.

"What, are you some sort of evil Little Red Riding Hood?"

"How am I evil?" She laughed, and Edward ignored how her laugh made him feel light and happy.

"You're forgetting my position and how you choose to remedy it," He said, pointedly gesturing to the net he was in dangling six feet over the forest floor.

She sighed.

"Yes, I suppose it is terribly unfair how you've been treated," She said, "mainly by me."

He didn't know how to respond to that.

"Then make it up to me by freeing me and explaining to me what the hell is going on," He suggested.

She moaned in frustration.

"I can't explain it though," She said helplessly. Edward was struck with the need to hold her, and was momentarily grateful for his restraints.

"Who were you afraid was following you, Bella?" He asked with softness that surprised even him. She looked up at him quickly, wary and startled.

"A good number of people," She said, "I am sorry you have been dragged into the confusing equation that is my life, but I must ask that you try to keep away from it. Hating me as you have been doing is probably the best course of action."

And with that she turned on her heel, took up the basket, and jogged away… leaving Edward answerless and speechless again.

…..

_Oh man, _Bella thought, _he is going to be sooooo pissed. _

She hurried to her destination, not wanting to be late. She crept along the edge of the woods and found the one area in the Volturi manor's wall that had a crack big enough for her to get through. She pushed the basket through, then shimmied herself through the two foot-thick wall to the other side.

Looking around the forest outside Volutri manor, she noted how it didn't look that much different…until she glanced back and saw the huge, intimidating wall of the manor. She shuddered at the wall's imposing purpose and kept on towards her destination. She walked out of the woods and smelled the familiar scent of oak and rushing water.

A clearing in the trees revealed a small village of huts and people. Bella smiled broadly as a group of children recognized her and squealed.

"BELLA!"

They scampered over to her, poorly concealing their curious stares at the basket in her hands. The familiar sandy head of hair peeped out of one of the cottages as the crowd of kids engulfed her.

"Hello Garrett," Bella called around her laughter. He smiled at the sight of the foster kids happily climbing over each other to hug Bella.

"It's been too long, Bella," He said as he stepped closer. He hugged her and regarded the woman he considered his younger sister. She saw his "lucky American flag" hanging out of his faded jeans and laughed.

"Still have that, do ya, Patriot?" She called him by his nickname.

"'Till the day I die," He quipped as he picked up a little girl and sat her on his shoulders. The little girl laughed giddily and looked at Bella with happiness that made her heart melt.

"How many are there now, Garrett?" She asked quietly as she held the hands of two little girls and was flanked by the mass of children.

"The numbers are growing, Bella," Garrett reported with dismay, "Thanks for coming –they adore you."

"They don't love me," Bella said with a smile as she let the girl's hands go, grabbed the basket, and made her voice louder, "They love…COOKIES!"

"COOKIES!" The children cheered. She whipped off the blanket that covered the basket to reveal four dozen cookies of various types. Garrett laughed in disbelief.

"Did you make all of that yourself?"

"Not entirely, Angela helped," Bella said, "She sends her apologies for not making it today."

Garrett nodded, "Not everybody can keep up with Miss Bella Volturi Swan, aye?"

She laughed and shook her head, "It isn't that. Claire, the head maid, is riding her into the ground because of all of the guests that are here for the banquet." Garrett made a sound of sympathy and led the kids to the picnic area, where they tore apart the basket for cookies and munched on them loudly.

"You know I think you are awesome for doing this for all of these kids, right?" Bella asked Garrett.

Garrett shrugged, "I couldn't just sit back and let them be abandoned, now could I?"

"You have an amazing heart," Bella said, cupping his cheek lovingly, "I'll find a good woman for you, Garrett; someone who deserves you…if such a woman exists." Garrett snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Please, you're making me blush," He teased.

"BELLA!" the kids called. Bella looked over to the mass of kids on sugar highs.

"Thanks for getting them hyper," Garrett joked. Two of them rushed over, took each of Bella's hands, and tugged her to the others.

"What is it?" She laughed.

"We want you to play that game," Tony, a five year-old carrot top told her. He held up the blindfold.

"THAT game again?" She groaned, "I am already clumsy beyond repair, do you want me to damage the village you have here?" He put the cloth in her hands and grinned toothily. Bella fastened the blindfold over her eyes and counted to ten. She could hear the squeals of laughter as the kids scrambled away from her, playing blindfold tag. She felt more than idiotic with her hands extended in front of her as she felt her way around the yard, trying to catch one of the giggling kids.

She laughed merrily as she caught hold of someone's shirt and held it. Her laughter faded into confusion as she felt that the person she caught was nowhere near the size of the kids.

"Garrett?" She asked questioningly. The body under her fingers was undoubtedly that of a mature man's.

"I'm afraid not," A smooth, low voice breathed in her ear.

Ice shot through her veins like a blizzard. Her fingers froze over the man's clavicle as she was almost paralyzed. She backed up instantly and landed into the arms of another man. She whipped off the blindfold and blinked up at Garrett, who steadied her with an arm around her shoulders. She turned her gaze to a pair of furious forest green eyes.

"I'm sorry," Garrett said easily, "Is there something we can do for you?"

Edward's eyes never left Bella's as he replied, "I'd like a word with Bella."

Tony approached Edward and tugged at the hem of his shirt. Edward looked down at the boy, and his eyes visibly softened.

"Yes?" He asked pleasantly. Bella blinked. So she had to be a carrot-topped little boy for him to stop looking at her like she was the Anti-Christ?

"Sir, why are you angry at Bella?" Tony asked.

Edward fumbled for words, "I am not really…_angry_ at her…" Bella snorted. Edward's gaze flicked to hers for a second and she could have sworn she saw him smile at her.

"I just want to talk to her," Edward exclaimed with the utmost patience and kindness. Tony's chin came up in a defiant gesture, "I can't let you hurt her." Edward blinked.

"I am sure he didn't want to hurt her, Tony," Garrett reasoned as he sized Edward up. Edward shook his head vehemently.

"I would never hurt a lady, Tony," Edward said. Bella smiled and knelt down to Tony's level.

"I think I need you to take over my position for a while in the game," Bella said to Tony, "can you help me?" Tony grinned and nodded, taking the blindfold and yelling "I'M IT!" to the surrounding, hiding kids.

Bella looked at Edward, "You needed to talk to me?"

Edward rolled his eyes, "Obviously."

Garrett shifted uncomfortably, "Bella, do you, er, want me to, umm…"

"Why don't you go make sure the kids stay in the boundaries, Garrett," Bella suggested. Garrett looked at Edward for a second, seemed to be besotted by his faded temper, and left.

"Well?" Bella asked.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Edward said impatiently.

"How did you find me?"

"I guess I am not as bad at tracking someone down as you thought, huh?" Edward said mockingly.

Bella closed her eyes and sighed, "Edward, I am done with these stupid, pointless arguments. You are obviously only interested in getting the 'latest scoop' as is half of the population in these parts."

"What?" Edward asked in disbelief, "You think I only want something to gossip about?"

"Naturally." Bella said matter-of-factly.

"Bella, I want to know what the hell has been happening to me," Edward said.

"Concerning Chloe and Abelle, no doubt?" Bella clarified.

"Naturally," Edward mocked her.

"And why is that, Edward?" Bella asked, "Because you think you could have deeper feelings for Abelle? Because you THOUGHT you had deeper feelings for Chloe, and were disappointed it was me?"

"Well, sort of," Edward said uneasily, "I just want to know where Abelle is."

"So you can talk to her and possibly make her love you?" Bella asked. She took his silence as confirmation and laughed humorlessly.

"You know what is hilarious?" Bella asked, "The reason that you need to ask me where Abelle is is because you know nothing about her." Edward blinked.

Bella continued, "Did it ever occur to you WHY she didn't tell you where she was going or why she left?"

Edward opened his mouth to say something, but closed it; at a loss for words.

"Of course it didn't," Bella said, "Because in your head, I am a pompous, self-centered person who is the villainess and kicked her out into the snow in an attempt to get the spotlight."

"But-"

"It never occurred to you that she may not have WANTED you to know where she went, did it?" Bella challenged. Edward stayed at a loss for an argument. It hurt him that she might be right.

"Fine, you are right when it comes to Abelle," Edward admitted, "I was probably wrong about her, but I still don't understand why you won't just come out and tell me what happened. Especially why you didn't come up to me during the masquerade and tell me who you were."

"You looked cozy with Abelle, that's why," Bella said darkly, sounding jealous of Abelle. In a sick way, she WAS jealous of Abelle…even though she was Abelle. Abelle could have been with Edward without many complications.

Edward gaped at her, horrorstruck. Bella realized just how good a deterrent Abelle was. It looked like Edward had used her, not the other way around.

"Oh, Bella," Edward said, for the first time regret and softness leaking into his tone past the stony forefront, "You have to understand; I had no idea that…that I would ever see you again… I…"

"Yes, you," Bella mused, "And you had ME painted out as the slut. Sorry the second girl you used wasn't as profitable as the first."

Edward was about to say something, but she cut him off by turning around and saying, "DOG PILE ON THE NEWCOMER!"

She faded into the background as Edward focused on nearly forty pairs of mischievous eyes. They popped out of everywhere and looked at Edward with a devious glint in his eyes. Edward's eyes widened as he took in all of the kids.

"Umm…"

Various war cries pierced the sky around him as he took a step back. Kids from ages three to thirteen stampeded towards him.

"Holy sweet mother in heaven-"

The first row of kids got him and took him out at the chest. He let out a whoosh of air as they tackled him and rows and rows of little warriors pounced. He found himself laughing and shouting along with them, wrestling them off of him. He managed to stand up, but there were about ten kids latched onto each leg and three to each arm. Not to mention his torso, which was positively dripping with little arms and legs.

Squeals erupted from his captors as he started to twirl around, the kids losing grip and plopping off. He laughed as they got off of the floor and sprung again.

"Kids, kids!" He heard a man call. He looked over to see the tallish man that Bella was with earlier.

Bella.

He froze and looked around as the kids disengaged themselves from him. His eyes scanned the whole perimeter.

"Is Bella here?" Edward asked the man. The man chuckled and shook his head.

"'fraid not," He said.

She had disappeared.

AGAIN.

He muttered an oath and looked at all of the kids staring up at him with smiles. The traitors. The fairer skinned kids had rosy cheeks from the exertion, and everyone was puffing air.

"Who are you?" One little Hispanic girl asked.

"Maybe you should know my name before you tackle me, huh?" Edward asked as he crouched to her level with a smile. She beamed.

"Bella told us to, so we did," She shrugged.

"They do whatever she does or says they should," The man said. Edward remembered his name was Garrett. Edward looked at the man closely. His sandy hair tied back in a ponytail; his faded jeans with what looked like an American flag hanging out of his pocket; his dark eyes. Then he remembered Abelle's accusation that he was gay and stopped looking at him.

"So, Garrett, right?" Edward asked him. He nodded and Edward continued, "What is this place?"

"Maybe you should know where you are going before you go there, huh?" Garrett scolded him like Edward scolded the girl with a smile. Edward laughed and nodded.

"True," He said, "I was looking for Bella…we have some things to discuss." Garrett suddenly got a savage look in his eyes and got up into Edward's face.

"You didn't hurt her, did you?" He snarled.

Edward blinked in surprise.

"No, of course not," Edward said with a furrowed brow. Garrett relaxed and said, "Good. Not just for Bella's sake –but for yours."

Edward cocked his head in confusion.

"If you did hurt Bella," Garrett explained, "There'd be a line miles long filed with people who would gladly rip you apart."

"I don't want to hurt her," Edward murmured. Garrett nodded.

"You seem to care a great deal about her," He noted.

"You do, too," Edward said with narrowed eyes. Garrett rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to worry about me being competition, Eddie boy," Garrett mocked, "That's not to say you don't have competition; just not from me."

"I…I don't think I am in the running as competition…" Edward muttered, not comfortable with the thought of courting Bella…he just wanted answers from her…that's all…right?

"Right," Garrett said with a smirk, "All in all, though, she seems to give you more time than anyone else."

Edward tried to rein in his hopeful expression. Gah! He didn't want Bella! She was conniving…untrustworthy…sneaky…completely intriguing…beautiful…clever… Oh for the love of…

"Yes, well," Edward said briskly, "I think I'd better be going. Thanks for the…information."

He turned to the kids and they looked at him with sad eyes. He nearly staggered back at the emotions.

"Y-yes?"

"You're leaving?" A twelve-ish old boy asked. Edward smiled sadly and knelt.

"Yeah, I am," Edward said, "It was a lot of fun playing with you, though."

"Can you come back?" Tony asked.

"If Bella lets me," Edward said, "I don't think I could find this place again alone."

"Tell Bella Tony wants you back," Tony said.

"And Ellen wants you back," the little Hispanic girl said.

"And Jill!"

"And Kyle!"

"And Jose!"

"And-"

"Kids, kids!" Garrett laughed, "Let the man leave. He said he'd be back."

"Thanks," Edward told him, smiled at the kids, and went in the direction that he hoped was the castle.

He needed a plan, and one started to formulate in his spinning head as he found his way back.


End file.
